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    Laniakea Cafe

    2.3 (217 reviews)
    ModerateBars, Salad, Sandwiches
    Open 6:00 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Laniakea Cafe Photos

    LANIAKEA CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Laniakea Cafe

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    Irony

    Wow. I bought $14.00 beer and left a 15% tip before being told you only sell bottled water. Pilau ʻoʻoleʻa fakas... plastic cup for beer and want to make me buy a plastic bottle of water for $3.50. Never again. I feel bad for any staff working for such shitty management. Liquid Aloha my okole.

    Menu. Seen 10/2023
    Ryan S.

    Good place to sit and eat/drink while you're waiting for boarding. They have A/C! Good assortment of drinks and to/go food in refrigerators. They also have made to order restaurant food. There is ready made pizza (small size so you can take on plane) They have local beers on tap and a decent assortment of hard alcohol for straight-up or mixed drinks. Cheers. Staff is very friendly. Seating area a little small and run down. But it's still nice and pleasant.

    Rebecca M.

    Girl working is so unfriendly. No greeting at all just silence. My mom asked for ice and she charged her 1.75 for this cup of ice smh. So off putting and I really like the brown haired girl who normally works and she's very friendly. Some people don't belong in customer service!

    Inside area
    Monty D.

    Other than vending machines and a very small takeaway shop, this is really the only restaurant at this airport. You can see from my interior pic, it's a fairly simple ordering and paying line. We ordered a simple egg and ham sandwich; it came on white toasted bread. It's all very simple. It's wise to keep your expectations in check.

    5:45 am and they are turning out the food! The people are super nice.
    Dan R.

    What a great find on an early morning 6 o'clock flight. We thought we'd be lucky to get a hot coffee and a roll before we got on our plane trip all the way back to Las Vegas. The sign said the restaurant didn't open until 6 o'clock. However we looked around and there were people in there at 5:45 so we tried the door we went in and we were taken care of by the sweetest lady. They had breakfast that the cook was preparing as fast as he could go on the grill most people came in and just picked those up and went with them and they look good. However we thought to ask could we get a cheeseburger and the answer was yes absolutely. We got the cheeseburger which was absolutely outstanding it was juicy it was hot and we had an order of onion rings and an order of french fries both were absolutely perfect! If you're headed out on Southwest airlines early in the morning and you're not gonna get any food on the plane this is the place you've got to stop eat breakfast before you go on that long trip back to the main land.

    Grilled chicken burger
    Samantha W.

    This is the only restaurant in the airport so it's pretty busy and seems as though there's always a line. Service was great, not sure if it's the owner or manager but he is a very hard worker. Ringing up customers and also running food to people inside and outside. We both got a grilled chicken burger. Mine without a bun and teriyaki sauce because I like to try and avoid gluten and sugar as much as possible. My husband got fries with his. The chicken was actually pretty tasty and juicy. The shredded lettuce had quite a few very brown old pieces. The fries were too crisp for my husbands liking. And shortly after our flight takeoff he got a very bubbly stomach and felt an emergency coming on and had to run to the bathroom. Luckily that wasn't the case for me. We figured possibly it was something to do with those fries :/

    a 4 person table opens up, complete with grease stains from previous occupants
    Robert C.

    Chaos during the pandemic. What happens when there is only one restaurant at the airport and no meals served on the 6 hour flight back home? This is the only restaurant at the Kailua Kona airport. Passenger jets fly from the west coast during the morning, land and refuel, flying back in the early afternoon. The result is a half dozen passenger jets leaving for the west coast around in the early afternoon. Today there is a passenger jet leaving for Seattle, followed by our passenger jet leaving for San Jose, and following passenger jets going to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland. We come to Laniakea Cafe, and the standing line is out the door. All ten 2 person tables and four 4 person outdoor tables occupied. Takes us 20 minutes standing in a line wrapping around the perimeter of the restaurant to reach the cashier to purchase $12.50 Somen Salad, $12.50 Chief salad, and two $9.25 Turkey Sandwiches. We pass on the $12.50 10" boxed pepperoni pizza get dried out in the heated storage area, and wife's favorite $12.50 mandarin orange salad sold out. Don't want to risk drippings from the $12.50 loco moco or $12.50 Hawaiian bbq chicken with rice into my carry on bag. There is another line past the cashier for picking up food from the grill. Will have to give the $11.50 Kalua pork sandwich a try next time we are here. And cannot bring the $12.50 one third pound Angus patty burger on the plane with the tomato in it. Finish off the salads on a 4 person table that has opened up. Three hours later, we finish off the turkey croissant sandwiches, which come without tomatoes due to Hawaii regulations. Even wearing an N95 mask doesn't alleviate the the strong mustard smell from my wife's sandwich in the confined areas of the plane in flight!

    Menu
    Melody P.

    Great place to grab a pizza or loco Moco. Most of it is grab and go. They also have a bar for alcohol drinks.

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    It's super expensive but the food was super fresh. One of the best chicken sandwiches I've ever had.

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    Page 1 of 6

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    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)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    This has been my go to spot for years in Kona! I always go here after landing at the airport, it's…read moreclose and convenient. Personal favorite for me is the spicy garlic chicken, which of course I ordered and is in the picture below. It's crispy and juicy, but what really completes it is the sauce the drizzle on top. I'm pretty sure it's sriracha mayonnaise or some variation of it, and it's super addicting. The chicken comes as a plate lunch, which includes two sides. All of the sides are good, but I definitely would recommend getting the French fries and white rice. The teriyaki beef is definitely an underrated pick. It's super flavor, and tender throughout. Huge portions, you will for sure get your money worth. Just note that wait times can be pretty long. Pine tree cafe often gets crowded and orders pile up. When I go it takes anywhere from 15-30 minutes, which can feel like an eternity when you're hungry.

    (4/5) Pulled up to…read morePine Tree Cafe ready to eat like a champion... and the food absolutely delivered. Local plates were solid, flavorful, and hit that "I need a nap after this" level of satisfaction. No complaints there. Now the service... let's just say the vibe at the register felt like I personally offended someone by existing Not the warmest welcome, but hey, I came for the food, not a TED Talk on hospitality. Would I come back? 100%. I'll just emotionally prepare myself at the register and then reward myself immediately with some bomb food.

    Photos
    Pine Tree Cafe - Dining area

    Dining area

    Pine Tree Cafe - Ahi tuna poke bowl

    Ahi tuna poke bowl

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    Kona Brewing

    Kona Brewing

    4.0(3.4k reviews)
    7.0 mi
    $$

    This place was super cool!! We came just for drinks after already eating dinner, and tried the…read moreflight. I loved the cute little map that comes with the flight to remember what each beer is. The service was also very fast and friendly. Even though most other patrons were also there to eat dinner, we never felt rushed or disregarded for only ordering a little flight of beers. We really enjoyed the beers and would definitely go back again, maybe for food as well next time.

    We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon ~ 1:45 p.m. I haven't been here in a while so I was pleasantly…read moresurprised to find plenty of parking spaces as well as seats in the restaurant. We went to the bar area because in the past, without reservations, that was your only real shot of getting seated without a significant wait. That wasn't an issue today. We both ordered a large pizza. I got the Captain, and my buddy did a "Build your own" with 3-4 ingredients. We each had a single drink (pint of beer and a vodka soda) and the check including tip was $100. That is a lot of money for two pizzas, and two drinks. I will say our server was on top of it the entire time. She checked on us several times and was great. My pizza was good. I feel like they subtracted some ingredients from the past but it was tasty. The sauce had a hint of sweetness but not over the top. I did like the crust, although some may have found it to be slightly undercooked; it was but I didn't mind. Our orders came out quickly, pizzas were tasty, service was great. 4/5 stars because for pizza, it seems a bit pricey.

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    Kona Brewing - Servers at the kitchen station

    Servers at the kitchen station

    Kona Brewing - Ahi tar tar - 8.5/10 avocado overpowered the fish a little but the rice, teriyaki sauce avocado work really well together.

    Ahi tar tar - 8.5/10 avocado overpowered the fish a little but the rice, teriyaki sauce avocado work really well together.

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    Residents' Beach House

    Residents' Beach House

    4.4(99 reviews)
    7.2 mi
    $$

    5 friends met here for lunch today. 5 ladies completely satisfied and impressed with this…read morerestaurant! Service: outstanding service from the hostess and from our server Lexi. Personalized service, the kind that the best resorts offer, like "how did she know I would want that?" The outstanding service continued from the time we arrived until the last minute before we left. 5 different orders, some of which I already can't remember. One lady loves gazpacho and she raved about this one. My fish tacos were loaded with chunks of spearfish and included all locally sourced greens. Two very large tacos in an order; apparently you can order one and combine with something else on the menu. 5 different desserts, all housemade, three of which are beyond memorable. 1) the Key Lime Pie is actually a monster slice of a Key Lime ICE CREAM pie. The Key Lime ice cream was perfectly copied from a key lime pie. 2) Pineapple Sorbet. More like frozen whipped pineapple than the puréed consistency you'd expect. Loaded with fresh pineapple! Very large serving! 3) Mud Pie, for the friend who orders Mud Pie whenever it's on the menu. She was blown away by the size of the slice and by the quality of every aspect of it. Note: the restaurant is quite a walk from parking. Valets will run you down and back up in a golf cart if you ask. We needed the exercise!

    Residents Beach House is part of the Four Seasons resort, the restaurant itself is outside, just…read moresteps from the shore. I made a reservation for my friend birthday, we were not staying at the resort. The staff at the Four Seasons were fantastic, very friendly and helpful. We were given a ride to the restaurant in a golf cart, which was fun in itself. It was already dark when we arrived and may have been a bit difficult to find otherwise. The patio restaurant was beautiful, strings of lights, but with the ocean there, no other decor was needed. Our server was lovely and helpful, the right mix of friendly with giving space. They had a very nicely curated wine list, maybe the best I saw during my time in the island. The menu is focused, I think when this is done in the right way, the food is better for it. After debating, we shared the scallop appetizer and the fish. The scallops were very good, though I did not like one of the flavors of the sauce, though appreciated it was interesting and different. The fish was fantastic, creative and interesting flavors. It was entirely a wonderful experience. I recommend if you are celebrating a special occasion.

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    Residents' Beach House - Outside

    Outside

    Residents' Beach House
    Residents' Beach House - Mudpie

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    Beach Tree Restaurant Bar and Lounge - Tagliatelle Bolognese

    Beach Tree Restaurant Bar and Lounge

    4.2(340 reviews)
    7.2 mi
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    Beach Tree is hands down my favorite restaurant in all of Hawaii. It's located at the Four Seasons…read moreResort Hualalai, and I make it a point to come here every single trip, even the ones where I'm not staying at the property. I'm in Hawaii about twice a year, and this spot is always locked in. The sunsets here are unreal. Depending on the time of year and when your reservation is, you can catch some of the best sunsets in all of Hawaii right from your table. It's one of those places where the view alone makes the night. Food is consistently great. The pizzas are always a safe bet, the chicken parmigiana is a must, and honestly any of the pastas don't miss. Everything is just solid across the board. Drinks are on point, cocktails are strong in a good way, well made, and they've got a great wine list plus plenty of beer options. Service is exactly what you'd expect from Four Seasons, top tier, attentive, and smooth without being over the top. Also a great spot if you're vegetarian or dining with someone who is. They actually have real options, not just afterthoughts. They'll occasionally have a show with fire dancers which adds to the experience. Great food, great service, great drinks, and one of the best views you'll get anywhere. Easily my favorite restaurant in Hawaii and it's not even close. Parking: Visitor Parking is free!

    Our experience at The Beach Tree was amazing for our Valentines Day this year. We made an earlier…read morereservation to ensure that we could see the sunset. That turned out to be a perfect plan. We valet parked upon arrival which made it easy also, this is complimentary when dining, except the tip of course. We started with the Octopus appetizer, had pasta and fresh fish for entrees and the amazing Bon Bons for dessert. Our server and crew were simply amazing. So much attention to detail and we never felt rushed even though every table was full when we left 2 hours later. The view can not be beat and there was l8ve soft Hawaiin music playing that was the perfect soft volume and never interfering with conversation. The food was excellent and priced for the level of the venue and excellent service.

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    Beach Tree Restaurant Bar and Lounge - Grounds spectacular

    Grounds spectacular

    Beach Tree Restaurant Bar and Lounge - Lobster

    Lobster

    Beach Tree Restaurant Bar and Lounge - Beach Tree right on the ocean

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    Willie’s Hot Chicken - 3 tender meal $20, includes a small side, and slice of bread

    Willie’s Hot Chicken

    4.2(539 reviews)
    6.9 mi
    $$

    The service here is ALWAYS great whether a regular or a visitor! Bartenders are fun and friendly…read moreand the food is great! My favorite are the tenders in Nashville heat with mac and cheese (which is AMAZING) or their mash potatoes and gravy! Therefore, I don't understand what Michael L. is complaining and regarding his bartender and her personal beliefs that she's ABSOLUTELY is entitled to; as are you! Unless you believe that freedom of speech is just good for a select few? And while your political views differ, it doesn't give you or anyone else the right to push your own OPINION and BELIEFS on others given actual FACTS and TRUTH about the actual state of things! And I find it ABSOLUTELY ironic that you call her anti-Amercan given that supposedly America is supposed to stand for I higher moral compass and protection of humanity, yet, at the moment let's reassess how things are going right now. Furthermore, learn your history bc I also think it's super F****n ironic that you're in Hawai'i talking about being anti-American. Why yes, of course we are anti-America since they have been illegally occupying our Kingdom for over a 100 years! And of course, like everything else America does it's all for FINANCIAL gain. They don't care about who they hurt! #doyourresearch #hawaiididnotwamttobethe50thState Leave my cool people at Willie's alone! They are professionals and they treat all people the same, UNLESS, you want to push your opinions on them and trash them for their beliefs. #constitutiom #freedomofspeech

    I'd like this restaurant because I like the style of chicken in the upbeat snappy feel of the place…read moreas well as the general idea of various levels of hot chicken using chicken tenders having things like macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets on the menu. These are all positives however!! I am a retired restaurant owner and I know something about food, both myself, and my friends have gotten food poisoning and quite sick from that restaurant twice. The first time I called the owner he was extremely nice about the situation offered to leave a tab for me to buy $100 worth of food (which I never did use) and after about two months, I went back and tried the restaurant and nothing went wrong. I continued to eat there with my friends over the next year and a half or two years until a few days ago and both myself and another chef who works at a high-end restaurant here in Kona went there for lunch and within an hour or two both of us were quite sick with what we considered to be food poisoning ---- so although I do like this place I offer a word of advice in warning to people considering going there you can't get sick from the food. They're serving chicken after all which requires intense scrutiny in terms of getting bacteria into the chicken.

    Photos
    Willie’s Hot Chicken - Bar area

    Bar area

    Willie’s Hot Chicken - Chicken Sandwich

    Chicken Sandwich

    Willie’s Hot Chicken - Ig: @eat_with_jeleneeee | Chicken and waffles

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    Laniakea Cafe - bars - Updated May 2026

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