Went for dinner and drinks with the family. Run runner was super good. The new manager is SO NICE and was busting his buns all through the crazy night. He SAVED the night on more than one occasion. This is one of our favorite stops as it's super close to our house. The views are undeniably some of the best in Kona. They have amazing outdoor patio areas with fire pits. Perfect for gathering. read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Rum runner - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

On our last full day in Hawaii, we decided to finally try this place near our condo for lunch (no reservation - place wasn't very busy). The restaurant is in an unbeatable location with sweeping views from every table, plenty of parking, and open-air seating with good amounts of shade. Service was a little slow to start, but we weren't in a hurry. Once things got rolling, we got our drinks and food pretty quickly. The draft beer selection is limited, but they have a huge cocktail menu and full bar. I ordered the fish and wedges (beer-battered ono with seasoned potato wedges). It came with coleslaw. Fish was 5/5 stars. Wedges were 5/5, too. The coleslaw was 3/5 just because it was underseasoned and not that special. Serving size was generous and I only ate two of the three pieces of perfectly cooked fish. My husband had the kalua pork tacos and he raved about them. The only disappointment was that they were out of the potato mac salad, which he was looking forward to. The sub of seasoned potato wedges worked well, though. read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Fish and Wedges with coleslaw - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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What a great place! It sits up on a hillside, and is appropriately named! What a beautiful view of the sunset, while enjoying excellent food! They offer pretty much everything from filet mignon to fish and wedges! We enjoyed the edamame for appetizer and went with their fish and wedges selection. Three large portions of Ono in a beer batter glaze, served along with potato wedges and coleslaw. Apparently, about every other night, they have live music, but not this night. Service was right on par, for being in Hawaii, and in a very nice dining atmosphere! We will definitely be coming back, and highly recommend! read more

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This is an awesome location. We are staying at The Outrigger and I wanted to enjoy a mid-afternoon drink nearby with a view. The views here go on for miles. It is high above the shopping center. I ordered a Raspberry Rita-Tini and their coconut shrimp. The drink was so pretty, with a sugar rim. The generous serving of 8 large shrimp was very tasty. The service was friendly, prices are reasonable, and the menu is great. Check it out. Also, they have a great Happy Hour menu. read more

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We made reservations for 6:15 PM hoping to catch the sunset, but weren't actually seated until around 6:45. To be fair, they were extremely busy and it did feel a bit understaffed, so while the wait was longer than expected, it seemed more like a volume issue than anything intentional. If you're aiming for golden hour, I'd recommend arriving a little earlier than your reservation time just in case. Once we were seated, though, the evening really turned around. The view was beautiful and exactly what you'd hope for from a waterfront dinner in Kona. Service picked up quickly from there and we were able to relax and enjoy the experience. They offer several mai tai options and the house mai tai was excellent. Well balanced, strong without being overpowering, and easily one of the better ones we've had on the island. The blue crab dip was super delicious, slightly on the salty side but paired well with the chips and definitely something I'd order again. We also tried the seafood trio, which was a nice way to sample a few different items in smaller portions. Everything was fresh and thoughtfully prepared. My husband ordered the fish and chips and said it was one of the best he's ever had, which is high praise coming from him. Crisp batter, flaky fish, and not greasy. Overall, despite the initial wait, dinner ended up being a really enjoyable experience with great views, solid cocktails, and well executed seafood. If you plan ahead for timing and sunset, it's a memorable spot for a Kona evening. read more

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Love there Happy Hour menu. The paint and chill parties with Maria Singleton are so fun, and the view is unbelievable! Great parking in an easily accessed location is pretty epic, too! read more

Ambiance, was over all great! It was a restaurant by the ocean with a view. Service was fantastic. They made sure there was always water in our cups and kept asking how the meal was. I was excited about the food but wasn't impressed at all. I thought the food was pretty basic for what it was and the price of it. It was $80 for two people - just two entrees. read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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TLDR - The place has a good view of the sunset, staff are amazing, but the food is lacking. This restaurant was a recommended place from our Uber driver and I can definitely see the appeal. The place is located at a good vantage point, making it great to see the sunset. It has a nice breezy ambiance thanks to its open setting making it very comfortable regardless of the time of day. The staff is also phenomenal. We made reservations ahead of time and they were kind enough to move our table to a side to get a better view of the sunset. They're friendly, welcoming, and very attentive to our needs. Lastly, the food. Unfortunately, for as much as I wanted to love this place, the food was subpar. We ordered the calamari as an appetizer and I had the Hawaiian chicken as my main dish. The calamari tasted as expected, but wasn't memorable. The chicken was very tasteless and small. On top of the food being bland, it was also very expensive. Overall, the place is just fine. There are lots of great places with nice views of the sunset. In terms of food, it could be better. Nothing was particularly bad, but there's room for improvement. read more

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Good service and friendly. Great patio seating. Some seating around little fire place. Great place for sunset. Mostly locals I'd say which is great. Happy Hour Specials you cannot beat anywhere on the island. I highly rave for everything on the happy hour menu; cocktails and food. My go to is edamame and tacos. read more

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This place has a great view! Service is great too. However, food here is just okay unfortunately. We started with drinks -- I ordered the Gecko Juice which is a fun green drink but also ended up being far too sweet for my taste. We had crab cakes, calamari and the crab dip to start -- the crab cakes were just okay but the dip was decent. For dinner, I ordered the Hawaiian chicken. And again, it was just okay -- the food just didn't taste fresh or truly delicious. My entire party felt the same way about their dishes too. If they could change the food that they're serving, that would be helpful. They have the view but that's literally about it. read more

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Such a beautiful place to watch the sunset. We went and they had live music which was a bonus. They had one of the best clam chowders I've had which is awesome coming from the northwest. I found the prices to be very reasonable, especially with the view and the food options. read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Crab dip and crab rangoon. - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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10/10 for EVERYTHING. Food: we were very hungry and also craving to enjoy our dinner with sunset, and this happened to be the perfect spot! The Hawaiian chicken is sooo tender and juicy, the beef patty in the burger is juicy and you get it every single bite. The nachos are made from wonton skin and tasted better than regular nachos and matched the Asian flavor so much better! Their key lime pie was a complimentary dessert, and I'm glad that we chose that over the peanut butter cake because this is the BEST crust I've ever had. Macnut is added and the caramel gives you that nice stickiness and crunchiness at the same time! Service: I couldn't catch her name but she was so sweet. She's in dark red hair. She saw that we waited and offered the complimentary dessert, and she also noticed bugs flew into our water and offer us a new one before we even noticed! Ambiance: fantastic place to enjoy the gorgeous famous Kona sunset and delicious Hawaiian food. Recommend for both family and couples! read more

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Ok so the only reason why we came here because it was close to our Airbnb and for the magical sunsets!!! The restaurant is super pretty! You get an inside outside type of feeling. The bar is in the middle of both and there are comfy chairs to sit outside. I ordered the key lime pie cocktail and wow did it taste like a piece of pie! The perfect tastiness to sweetness. The server was right when he recommended it! My partner ordered an espresso martini and it was perfect. Come here before the sunset and catch a beautiful scene. You won't be disappointed just for that reason alone!! read more

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What a difference a year makes! Service was still great but food was edible, tasty even. Beer was cold. My friends told me this place is better and it is. And of course the wonderful view! Laid back vibe. read more

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The view here is amazing. I was a bit hesitant after reading some of the reviews here, but decided that I needed to try it anyway. I was not disappointed. I had been craving fish and chips, with ono of course. The breading was nice and light and not overwhelming. The fish itself was done perfectly and so moist. It really was melt in your mouth. The fries were just the right amount of crispy. The fish pieces were huge, I was barely able to finish half the dish. That worked out fine because my friend thought my fish was super tasty also, so I had help! Our server was very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed and the food came out well. This place was definitely worth the visit and not just for the view! read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Ono fish and chips - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

The service was fine. The quality of food was very mediocre for the price you're paying I'd hope the food was better. Flavors was bland and steak was beyond overcooked. I also had the seafood trio, the fish was dry and my shrimp was so small. Not worth it sorry. read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Poke nachos. Not worth $25.95, only had like 6-8 pieces of fish. - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

The view from the restaurant was stunning, the vibe inside was clean, inviting relaxing. It was busy on a Friday night, we made reservations for a large group and were seated immediately. Our server recommended the rib eye which at first I wasn't too sure because I'm picky with my meat but boy was I happy to be wrong! The rib eye - I ordered it medium well. It was crunchy on the outside, tender and flavorful on the inside. Best rib eye I've eaten out in a long time. 10/10 recommend. I'm a rice girl so next time I would have substituted the potatoes for white rice. The potatoes in my opinion had good flavor but the rib eye was so good I felt I simply needed an unflavored carb to go with, but that could just be me. Ribs - 10/10 just like they described juicey, fell right off the bone, Our group ordered the salmon, seafood trio, the ahi, fish and chips, calamari and wedges appetizers. Desserts - we ordered all three. The mini malasadas (cinnamon donuts) were scrumptious and served hot. The peanut butter pie was my favorite. Everything was satisfactory, no complaints from our group! Was a pleasant experience. read more

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Went here for dinner with my friend the other day and the view was spectacular. Portions are pretty big and the food is yummy. I ordered a lava flow, which was delicious as well. Service was also great! Will definitely be back! read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Oh my gosh, if I could give this place 100 stars, I would! The service was incredible, the food was over the top, and the vibes were amazing. The live singer was adorable, and the view was absolutely insane. I 100% recommend this spot to anyone traveling to Kona! & try the key lime pie !! read more

The views can't be beat. The mai tais were good and the food was good! A cute cat on the wall made it perfect read more

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5 stars For Sunset Kai Lanai, thank you Justin who made the reservation possible the day before and to our amazing host Leimomi Kahumoku! We were a very large group -- 37 of us who just finished a family reunion the day before. We wanted a final dinner before departing Kona -- and our host handled everything with such grace, warmth, and professionalism. From the moment we arrived, she made us feel so welcome and taken care of. Coordinating a group this size is no easy task, but our host went above and beyond to make sure everyone was comfortable, our orders were taken with care, and the food came out timely and delicious. The service was smooth, friendly, and personalized -- we never felt rushed or overlooked. It truly made our evening special. You could tell she genuinely cared about making it a great experience for all of us. Our whole party was raving afterward about how amazing the dinner was -- not just the food, but the hospitality. If you're ever in Kona and want an unforgettable dining experience, this is the place, the view was beautiful -- and the host is a gem! Thank you again for helping make our trip so memorable. We'll be talking about this dinner for a long time! read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Party of 37 - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Great spot in Kona to enjoy beautiful ocean views while you eat, while also avoiding the crowds and parking hassle of the main strip! Sunset Kai lanai is perched at the top of Keauhou shopping center--spectacular views with shopping center parking! The restaurant is very spacious, so we easily got a table right before sunset on a Saturday. And, every table has a view. Great menu. There's no real kids menu, which was fine--my daughters shared an adult entree of ribs, which was huge and delicious, fall-off-the bone tender. My pork was a little dry, but the sides were flavorful. My husband loved his steak. The edamame starter was huge. We appreciated the crayons and paper for kids. We would have had dessert but were too full! read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Sunset views from every table - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

I'm from Honolulu, traveled to Kona just for lunch to celebrate 2 family members birthdays. Our server Bailey was absolutely the best server one can ask for. She helped me set the table up with table cloths and linen napkins. As this was a surprise party she was included in the surprise. The food was excellent the atmosphere was epic and the company was fabulous . read more

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We made our reservation prior to arrival. We got there on time and the hostess had us wait a half hour before we were able to get to our table. It began raining and we were getting wet as our table was at the edge the open patio, our request to be reseated was ultimately ignored. The food was not all that great either. The shortage of wait staff was glaringly apparent, which was unfortunate. What could have been a great dining experience was sadly disappointing. read more

When we first arrived, our server barely spoke to us, but we didn't think much of it at first. Once our food came out, though, we were immediately disappointed. Each entrée was around $40, but the portions were small and the plates looked empty -- definitely not worth the price. I ordered the poke nachos and wanted the wasabi on the side, but it was spread all over the dish. I told our server that it was my fault for forgetting to mention it, and he kindly offered to have it remade. However, he didn't come back to our table for over 20 minutes. During that time, we noticed that the ribs came without the fries that were supposed to be included, and our waters sat empty while he spent most of his time talking with other servers instead of checking on his tables. When he finally returned, he told me they were out of the poke nachos and that I could either take my old dish back (which had been sitting in the kitchen for 20+ minutes) or order something else. At that point, I didn't want it anymore, so I just shared with my family. We ended up splitting two meals among the three of us and felt completely ripped off. Another server -- a kind bald man -- actually helped us more than our own server did. He brought us water, silverware, and sauces, and went out of his way to make sure we were taken care of. He was amazing and really the only reason we didn't leave sooner. When our actual server finally dropped off the check, we told him we were very disappointed with the food and service. His response shocked us -- he said, "Yeah, I'm gonna be honest, our food sucks here. We get a lot of complaints, but we're working on it." That really said it all. He offered us a free Key Lime pie as an apology, which we appreciated, but then we waited another 25 minutes for it. My mom was so frustrated she waited in the car, and I eventually had to ask the other (bald) server again to help us -- and of course, he immediately got it boxed up for us. In the end, we tipped $5 since the service was poor and the other server did most of the work. The food was not worth $40-$50 a plate, and the experience was extremely disappointing -- especially since it was our last night in Hawaii. If we had been served by the other server, it might have been a completely different experience, but as it stands, I wouldn't come back or recommend this restaurant to anyone. read more

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The view- of the sunset- absolutely beautiful!! And our server was great. Attentive and checked in often. So the food- my meal was good- Ahi- my husband however, did not care for his meal- Filet. Our server again was wonderful and made things right- he took it off the check. read more

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DAY 1 of Vacation - We forsure wanted to eat out for dinner on our first night. We also stumbled upon this restaurant while walking around the shopping center located below. Parking: Free parking lot. They have a very small lot, so finding a spot can be difficult. We gave up after driving in circles for almost 15 min then decided to park down in the shopping center and just walk up. Ambiance/Environment: Such a great experience! We had no idea they had a view of the sunset. We dined at the perfect time around 17:30-18:00. It is an outdoor restaurant, and they seated us near the view. Service: Shout out to our server Douglas! He took great care of us. Quick, efficient, and knowledgeable about the menu. What I ordered: Portions were pretty big. We shared our dishes with one another. 1) Sunset Seafood Pasta - This was so fulfilling. The sauce was absolutely delicious and flavorful. There was also a generous amount of shrimp and scallops. I didn't see much blue crab though. 2) Poke Nachos - We ordered this as an appetizer. Perfect way to start off. Idk what it is, but poke just hits different on the islands. Very mouthwatering. 3) Cocktails - I completely forgot which drinks we ordered, but we enjoyed them all! Very strong and sweet! read more

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We came here on our second night in Kona and were staying just down the hill from this restaurant. We managed to get their during happy hour and had no problem getting a table, and one right along the wall to view the sunset as well. We ordered every variety of taco off of their happy hour menu, plus two drinks, a kids burger and mac and cheese, edamame and their chowder. All of the drinks on the happy hour menu are very sweet drinks and even me requesting mine to be less sweet still came out very sweet, although also quite delicious. The tacos were mixed. I thought the shrimp and the pork were the best ones. The grilled fish and steak were a little dry in my opinion and all of the tortillas were a tad hard. The edamame and chowder was good although the chowder had split but it still had great flavor. The kids menu was enjoyed and a good price for it. Live music started playing shortly after we got there and although I would have preferred a bit more livelier of music it was still nice to have that in addition to the beautiful sunset. The place definitely filled up as the night rolled on and the lighting of the tiki torches added to the ambiance. Overall good place! read more

We made reservations and showed up on time. We saw many tables not used but also not cleared. It took about 15 minutes to be seated and then we were informed service might be slow as there were other large parties ahead of us. They were right, service was slow but we passed the time playing some word games at our table. All members of our party commented that the was just okay - nothing really special. Prices were high and portions small. Overall, we enjoyed our dinners and would rate the place as average. read more

The view and food were amazing, but what made our night so much more special was the amazing service! Our server, Cory, was so knowledgeable, kind and attentive and made our special night even more special! Also the crab rangoons were so good! read more

First things first. If you want to see the Sunset and have drinks this is the place to go. Service was a little slow but very friendly (busier during sunset. It was packed). We had the ribs and they were SPECTACULAR. The calamari was cut real thick (not a fan). The truffle fries were good. I'd definitely try it again if I get the chance. read more

We were seated an hour ago (with a reservation). All the tables around us, seated after we were, have been served. Our waiter, Trent, seemed surprised when I asked him where our food is. We chose this place for a last night on Hawaii. We won't return read more

Really great food and amazing service. We didn't feel like tourists being taken care of, we felt like old friends catching up.

Awesome view! Pile nachos were fab. Mai Tai was yummy! Very friendly staff and comfortable atmosphere. read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Unbelievable ocean view! Great drinks and delicious food served by the best server in Town, Douglas! All his recommendations were on point from the calamari and wonton appetizers to our ribs main course! The pork chops with white cheddar chipotle mashed potatoes were to die for! Both entrees are big enough to share too! Best of All was the homemade key lime pie with macadamia nut crust be sure to request Douglas next time you go for dinner with the view of a spectacular sunset' read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Slow Roasted Pork Ribs (Half) - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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The setting is fabulous. Great sunset views. We ordered the Seafood Trio and when it came out it was missing the crab cakes. They should have mentioned that before we ordered. They did take half off the bill. The rosemary bread wasn't worth what they charged. It had been microwaved. We left hungry and disappointed. I read the reviews before we went and I should have taken them to heart. read more

The food was amazing, not only was the sunset beautiful but the service was outstanding. It's an open restaurant so you get the wonderful ocean air coming in. It's not loud. You can hear everybody in your table talking even when there are large parties going on around you. If you can have the rye so serious drink. It is incredible. read more

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Excellent food!! I got the Hawaiian chicken and someone else got the seafood trio with the rosemary bread as an appetizer. We couldn't have been happier with our food. The sunset was the icing on the cake. Service was a tad slow, but our server was really nice. read more

We wanted a nice view and a good dinner. We were not disappointed! Driven by the place many times but last night we had a great experience. Ordered the appetizer special of bruschetta with fresh Ahi, delicious. Dinner was chicken breast with pineapple and it too was good. The nutty Mai tai was effective and delicious! The sunset view was superb. Wonderful evening and we will be back. read more

Sunset Kai Lanai - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Recent management changes have enhanced what was already a typically pleasant dining experience, in South Kona. The location, view, live music, and friendly, attentive wait staff have always been wonderful at Sunset Kai Lanai. But, the vibe and service seem next level, lately. As locals who frequent SKL, weekly, for the live jazz and spectacular sunsets, we appreciate the restaurant's delicious food and cocktails, which are more reasonably priced than many other tourist oriented restaurants in Kona. Highly recommended. read more