Mediocre at best, both food and the service…read more We dined here and sat outside. The waiter guy literally rolled his eyes at some of the questions my parents had about the menu. Find another job if you don't want to be a waiter, seriously. Methinks they have some training to do so customer service here. I'm not rushing to return here again.

We went to this restaurant the first night we were on the big island. We were staying on the…read moreWestern side of the island and food didn't seem to be amazing near our hotel so we ended up here, hungry, and a little bit jetlagged and tired. It was not a super fancy restaurant, but it did the trick. They had gluten-free options, the service staff was very nice and everyone seemed to enjoy their meal.

Cipriano's Kitchen - Kawaihae's Italian Treasure…read more Cipriano's Kitchen is one of those rare restaurants that keeps you thinking about your meal long after you've left. Chef Gino is generous with both his talent and his portions. Every dish showcases fresh ingredients, expert preparation, and a genuine love of Italian cooking. The menu is seafood-forward, featuring fresh local catches, handmade pasta, and flavors that are both authentic and creative. This family-run restaurant is made even more special by Claudia, Chef Gino's wife and culinary partner. Claudia bakes fresh focaccia daily and prepares the restaurant's gnocchi and pasta from scratch. As hostess, she warmly welcomes every guest and effortlessly serves as the restaurant's "walking menu," describing each dish with passion and detail. The presentation is stunning. Lobster, octopus, shrimp, clams, scallops, and house-made pasta arrive beautifully plated and bursting with flavor. The fresh focaccia alone is worth the visit. Every meal feels thoughtfully prepared, from the first bite to the last. What keeps me coming back is that the food is genuinely craveable. I find myself dining here every couple of weeks for lunch, and more often than not, I leave with a takeout order for dinner because I know I'll be thinking about it later. Cipriano's Kitchen isn't just serving Italian food--it's creating an experience centered around family, hospitality, and exceptional cooking. Kawaihae is fortunate to have this gem, and anyone who appreciates fresh seafood, handmade pasta, and heartfelt hospitality should make it a destination. A true Big Island favorite. "Come hungry. Leave happy. Plan your next visit before you've even finished your meal."

We had a reservation for three for dinner. We arrived 10 minutes early and we were explicitly told…read morewe were early and then we stood waiting until our reservation time when they seated us. Tables are mainly outside with loud street traffic noise. We were brought water fairly quickly and had our menus to review. We then waited for 13 to 15 minutes until a young waitress returned answered our questions and we ordered some focaccia bread and three glasses of Sangiovese. $19 a glass for a very poor red wine and then seven dollars for six small pieces of focaccia bread. The least expensive wine by the bottle was $79. Their corkage fee if you brought your own bottle was a mind-boggling $179. We got our wine and bread in a reasonable time and then had to wait another 10 minutes to place an order. We were in the mood to have salad, but the least expensive was a Caesar, $25 for a small plate. We ordered two pasta dishes And one ravioli dish, which came with three cheese ravioli. The dishes in price ranged from $48-$56 each. Our food came out, reasonably on time. We requested some Parmesan cheese and olive oil for the side. The pasta was handmade, fresh and delicious. We very much enjoyed the entrées taste and presentation. One of the pasta dishes was just lukewarm when served. Our bill for three adults was $250 before tax and tip. While the food was excellent, we felt that the service and location, along with the ambience was not worth that price.

Best Chinese food I've had on the Big Island, no contest…read more The sizzling chicken was the highlight. Super tender, incredibly juicy, and full of flavor in a way that's hard to find. Every piece was cooked just right. I don't usually write reviews, but this one earned it. If you're anywhere nearby, it's worth going out of your way for.

This cute little restaurant features great Chinese infused dishes. They offer a beer selection as…read morewell but no wine. The menu has a variety of Chinese food favorites and offers combos as well. The New York steak and garlic shrimp combo was incredible. We loved it. You can upgrade combos to fried rice only. The portion of fried rice was a generous portion and it was very tasty. Service was good and food came out in a reasonable amount of time. Orange chicken and general Tao chicken were perfectly crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. We recommend the combo plates for a great value and many delicious variations.

We live right down the road so have come here quite a few times. It's the same owners as I luv…read moreDumplings, they just closed and reopened to expand the menu and create more of the old diner feel. Team is all very nice and friendly. We have enjoyed everything we ordered from here. Our favorite is their karaage chicken. We miss the variety of dumplings they had to choose from before, but what they do still serve is delicious.

Cute little locally owned cafe on the corner. We went here after our Waipio Valley tour. There are…read moremaybe 4 tables, window seating, 2 two tops outside, and then counter seating. We had a party of 6 and when we arrived there were no tables available so we did counter seating. Tofu appetizer - looked great but was bland Cheeseburger - very good Shrimp plate - bland Short rib plate - tasty but tough Fried chicken sandwich - very good Chocolate creme pie w whipped cream - great Waitress was lovely. Parking - free street parking

I have been ordering the Pork Belly Miso Soup from Emi's Kitchen at the Waimea Town Farmer Market…read moreon Saturday mornings. It is an amazing soup of perfectly stewed potatoes, carrots, onions and pork belly in a rich miso broth. I'm hooked on this dish as a perfect "comfort food" meal, both right at the farmers market as well as for me to take home for my lunch or dinner meal. Each time I've ordered it over the past few weeks the richness and flavor have been consistent. I highly recommend this dish as well as the other authentic "home cooked" dishes offered by Emi and her family.

Enjoyed a warm, delicious, and nostalgic bowl of soup from Emi's kitchen! They even have vegan…read moreoptions!

Extraordinary vegan food. The pita was freshly baked when I placed my order. Best falafel that I…read morehave ever had!

Egyptian falafel sandwich. Pita cooked on site. Fava bean falafel cook fresh to order. Clean vegan…read morefood. Carl, the owner was very helpful. Saturday market was peaceful.

The ramen didn't have much flavor, the portion was small for the price, the egg was over cooked.read more

Excellent service! They were so kind and helpful. Separate the noodles and broth since it was to…read morego, so it stayed fresh. Great flavors! And the pan fried gyoza was awesome.

I cannot thank HaLani enough for the amazing birthday dinner experience we just had! The staff,…read moreservice, ambiance and food were wonderful! Not only that, but they went above and beyond with a special request of mine. I brought in a watermelon and ask them to work their magic and turn it into something special. Never did I imagine that they would turn it into a full watermelon cake in such a short time! Thank you HaLani and our wonderful main waitress Cyn for such a special evening!

We dined as walk in's for an impromptu date night and were pleasantly surprised! Valet parking is…read morevalidated. This is an open air restaurant and at first I was hesitant because of maybe having to deal with flies but we didn't run into any issues. There was live music playing. We ordered the farmer's plate of veggies to accompany the muhammara dip (which came with 4 pieces of wood fired bread). It was flavorful, fresh, and light. My husband ordered the skirt steak and I ordered the ahi steak. We also ordered the frozen fruit punch twice. This was plenty of food for us so we skipped on dessert. Everything turned out delicious to us and we quite enjoyed our evening.