TLDR: Lounge area…read morenear the "lobby" of the Fairmont Orchid resort. Since it overlooks the rest of the resort, it's the perfect place to rest and relax during the day. They start serving Japanese-inspired foods starting 5 pm and they have nightly live music starting around 6 pm. Food was fine, nothing special, but the ambiance was wonderful and the nightly torch lighting + conch shell blowing at sunset happens on this balcony. ------ FOOD: * Smash Burger (4/5): Came with two patties and a slight skirt on the meat. Was a little simple though (i.e. no lettuce or tomatoes, though did come with one deep-fried onion ring and cheese). Fries were pretty good! * Luana Roll (4/5): This is their signature roll and I thought it was good but wasn't anything special. Probably not worth $30. * Double Crunch Roll (4/5): Again, good roll but nothing special and didn't particularly love it. ------ SERVICE: * Fine service, though the waiter took a long time to check in on our table. We weren't in a rush so it wasn't a problem, but it was strange. * Note that their kitchen is not located nearby and so the waiter has to go to a kitchen downstairs before bringing the food up. That means that service can be a little slower at times. ------ ENVIRONMENT / AMBIANCE: * Really nice ambiance. It's a balcony right off the main lobby where you check-in, and there are lots of comfy lounge chairs and small tables to match. The lobby and the lounge are both technically on the 3rd floor of the resort, so you can overlook the rest of the resort including the pool, beach, and ocean. * The live music at night is nice, both if you're dining at the lounge or just returning to the lobby area after a long day out. * There's also an indoor bar area next-door to the lounge with a pool table. The pool accessories are in rough shape (only 1 usable pool stick) but anyone is able to set up the table and begin playing. Despite being here during the holidays, this table was surprisingly available for most of our stay. * Every night there's a traditional Hawaiian ceremony where torches are lit at sunset and someone blows a conch in all directions. The conch blowing happens on this balcony, so if you're seated at the lounge around 5 pm, you'll have great seats of the short ceremony.

The lounge is conveniently towards the center of the resort, close to check in. The staff are…read moredifficult to get ahold of, and service was rather lackluster. We came on a windier day, and the tiki torch kept getting blown out. The one closest to us was gushing out gas without a flame, and left an extremely heavy gas smell. We asked if they could relight it, and the first person said they'd get maintenance over right away. 20 minutes later, and getting lightheaded from the gas, I asked if they could turn it off if they couldn't relight it. The staff started getting defensive which I didn't understand, and told us that we were being unreasonable since the area wouldn't be lit up if there was no torch. I kept explaining to her that the torch was out, so we don't get the light anyways, but she wasn't listening to our concerns. Eventually another staff member came by, immediately understood, and finally turned off the gas for us so we weren't getting smothered by the odor. We ordered two cocktails and a spicy Kanpachi roll. The cocktails were mediocre, and one of them was not what we ordered. My wife asked for a blended cocktail and ended up with a drink on ice. The kanpachi roll was below average, with soggy seaweed and loosely rolled where it was falling apart while eating. I would skip on this lounge if you're looking for a place to eat and maybe even for skip and go elsewhere for drinks. We only tried one sushi roll, but after our experience we didn't intend on ordering anything else.

We have been coming to Seafood Bar and Grill for years on our annual Hawaii vacation and it never…read moredisappoints. The owner Dave is always friendly and a pleasure to chat with. I got the ginger steamed clams and they were amazing. We also ordered an extra serving of Parmesan bread because it was so tasty. My dad got the prime rib, which is only available on Tuesdays, and it was great as always. Our server Matt recommended my mom try the black bean seafood combo, and she was pleasantly surprised by how much she loved her meal! My husband got the cajun style fresh catch and loved his meal! We highly recommend this restaurant and love supporting Dave and his team. It's always a great experience!

Casual vibes, stellar food, and friendly staff…read more You may accidentally drive right on by this casual eatery if you didn't know it was here! We stopped by during happy hour on a Sunday with a party of 4 adults and one child and were immediately seated. We ordered a round of very solid (and strong) mai tais along with some pupus: the coconut shrimp and seafood quesadillas. Both were repeatable, but the seafood quesadilla was especially delicious! For the main, I ordered their fish sandwich, which came with swordfish as the catch of the day. The tartar sauce had a nice tang and just a hint of spice that really made the flavor shine. Would definitely recommend visiting!

The Bartender Gregory all round great personality…read more Himself is ideal customer service attitude

My husband Justin and I Lisa walked in to Sam's to order the bar tender accused me of being…read moreintoxicated. I rarely drink alcohol and had no alcohol beverages that day. We only went in to order a drink and get our parking validated so we could go next door and get a bite to eat. Very unwelcoming and quite the jerk wiring that day. We know the owner Bailey and I hope she takes care of her rude bartender.

lava lava doesn't have lava cake! the food was great though…read more ps. my son wrote this.

Came here for lunch before going to A-bay, and I will say, it's a great place to eat along the…read morewater! I ordered the rib taster, intrigued by the guava barbecue sauce. The ribs were super flavorful and tender, and the barbecue sauce was good with a subtle guava taste. The fries and coconut coleslaw that came with it was satisfactory. The only thing that knocked it down a star was some of the service. Our hostess was kind of rude and rolled her eyes at us a few times. When she brought us to our seat in the bar style seating facing the water, we asked if we could sit at a table on the patio. Despite over 2/3 of the tables being empty, she claimed they were all being used for reservations. Fast forward to the end of our meal, and still none of the so called "reserved" tables were full. Still not exactly sure why she denied us seating below but whatever.

Another fabulous Christmas dinner at Manta at the Mauna Kea!…read more It began on a weird note as for the second year running we were relegated to a side table right next to a walkway while all the tables towards the ocean were empty - as we were celebrating a milestone birthday and anniversary we asked if we could be moved and they did kindly accommodate us ! Service was fabulous throughout the dinner which made for a great meal! We began with some cocktails and champagne and a couple of appetizers- the ahi sashimi and the ahi katsu - exceptionally fresh ahi but the sashimi could have been a little cooler and both needed a tad more seasoning! Mains were the standout - I had the Kampachi which was absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection served with wasabi gnocchi, my husband had the catch of the day - a snapper, also fabulous. The kids had the seared ahi which was melt in your mouth served with Bok Choy which they loved and a taro mash which was not good and we could have done without! Ordered the chocolate soufflé which was perfection and the Alaskan Bombe which has a delicious macadamia base! So good! A great was to celebrate Christmas and a fabulous meal !

Wow, what a nice treat dining here at Manta for their breakfast buffet on a Sunday during my…read morestaycation at Mauna Kea Hotel. They got busy quick, the reason for the 4 stars and not 5, I checked in with the hostess and she asked me to wait on the side, we waited close to 20 mins. until I wonder why others that came after me were seated, another staff came by to ask for our name, come to find out we were not on the list to be called for table. Luckily the views were amazing & I didn't mind waiting. We got outdoor seating and wow just loving the ocean view, while enjoying our breakfast at the same time. The wait staff were on top of it, checking on us to see if we needed anything else. I took my time just enjoying every bite and the views. The breakfast buffet ($50.) so much food, so many choices, some of the offerings were: hot foods = has breakfast meats, eggs, corned beef hash, Japanese theme with make your own miso soup, salmon & fish, abundant of sweets, pastries, breads, fresh waffle and omelet section. Out of all items from the buffet line, I made a plate of sausage, corn beef, rice and omelet X 2 and waffle. I was stuffed and couldn't go for the other stuff. hehe. Although I wish I made room for miso soup and fish. I really enjoyed my omelet choice requested for fresh eggs. Not every time I get to eat omelet so that was hits. The omelet line does get long, the only guy cooking handles 3 pan, that is talent! The staff at check in mentioned about seeing the Manta Rays here, If you see the light shining at night, that's the Manta. We missed that. So cool that the restaurant named "Manta" for Manta Rays. All in all, such a great experience, lovely breakfast enjoyed by me & my love, at the Manta and we are ready for Sunday's adventure, a day filled with walking, exploring the property and swimming! I would love to check out dinner during my next visit, maybe for our 30th anniversary, hope to spot some Manta Rays- Truly grateful moments!

This is most awesome beach ever (I've been to many beaches), and the hotel is very good too…read more One caveat is if you have mobility issues, this might not be the place as there's a bit of up and down stairs to get to the pool and beach. But we enjoy going up stairs for fun. I'm sure they have some accommodation, tho. One disappointment is they don't great each other by saying HaPuna matata. I got blank stares when I tried this. But it is really good pun, no? Food is expensive, out of compound restaurants are distant, so pay and enjoy as it was very good.

Love the Hapuna Beach Hotel. We have been coming here for over 20 years and the service is always…read moretop notch. There has never been a bad day or anyone that has been anything short of providing the best service. They understand how to treat guests; with an abundance of mana! The rooms are comfortable, spacious and private. They have laundry facilities so that is super handy! In all our stays, just lots of great memories. Every-m time we come back, it feels like coming home. Love this place.

I was very disappointed! Wanted to go out for a special night but did not want to drink alcohol…read more Asked about mocktails or nonalcoholic beverages and none were available and server did not make any recommendations. I happen to be vegan. This establishment used to have great options but now all I could get was sides and the farmer plate appetizer. This was literally 4 slices of tomato, carrot, cucumber, and radish. Server acknowledged there was nothing on the menu but said chef could put something together but had no idea what that would be. For such a nice resort, this dinner was a disappointment

Perfect spot to unwind with great food and an even better view. We ordered the tasty burger, spring…read morerolls, and a round of drinks -- the espresso martini and their Lani Tai. Everything hit the spot. The burger was juicy and flavorful, and the spring rolls were fresh with a nice crunch. Drinks were on point too: the espresso martini was smooth and bold, and the Lani Tai had that perfect tropical kick. What really made the experience memorable was the outdoor setting. Comfortable vibe, relaxed, and the sunset view was absolutely amazing -- one of those scenes you just want to sit with a little longer. Definitely worth a visit!

We went to this resort to see the mana rays and had dinner here. The drinks were good. My husband…read morehad the catch of the day which was mahi mahi and was really meaty. I had the butter fish which was tender and it had miso and bok choy with it. Overall the fish was good, not great. The app we had was the Korean fried cauliflower and that was the best thing i ate there. We each had two drinks. My drinks were really good, but my husband said his were ho hum. The resort is beautiful and the view is beautiful. Food overall is good, but not spectacular. We were disappointed that the mana rays did not make an appearance, but we went during a Kona storm when the tours weren't running up north due to the waves so I figured that might have impacted it. Would i go again? To see the manta rays, yes, but probably not for the food. Final note: valet parking was free with the validation done by the server.

The view from this place was breathtaking, the service was amazing. The food absolutely delicious…read more I highly recommend the KFC, that was my favorite. I would also get the red dragon roll again, charred fish. I plan to come back and try more foods. Special shout out to John Carlo for taking such great care of us.

Drinks are good. Pulled pork sliders are surprisingly really good!…read more We got the 1944 mai tai and takes two to mango and both were excellent. Kai was amazing present server who made some good drinks

I think I would've had an emotional breakdown if it weren't for this place. What are the chances we…read morechoose to do a Maui trip during the longest, wettest, windiest, and coldest 2 weeks that the islands have ever had. Fortunately Tikehau came through. We were staying across the street at the AC Marriott, so we could walk when the weather permitted. But this immediately became our watering hole. Dominic and Donna were just 2 of the amazing staff that kept us quenched. Mari and Kayla also were very hospitable. DRINKS were the best on Maui hands down. We're tried everything on the menu (except for a couple of the high roller libations). All winners. They even would sub out spirit bases when we were feeling adventurous (mezcal for tequila etc.) FOOD was also great. Top notch Poke bowl, but the beef bowl took the trophy. They also have a seasonal menu for specialty drinks and food items. Pork bao buns were on that, and we got a ton of those. On purpose. NO KIDS was also refreshing since it was spring break. 100% a 5 star spot. We will never forget Tikehau and we will be going back every time we visit Maui!

Poor Service! Overpriced! I would like to specify Jacques and his unprofessional attitude. We…read moreordered a Mai Tai, I asked to make it extra strong. He pour the left over bottle into the cup which barely made 30ml of Rum. He unprofessionally prepared a mai tai and throw a piece of lime covered with sand on top of the cocktail! My cocktail tasted like a Fanta with a hint of rum. I gave him $2 tips to show my respect but disappointment about my order. He said loudly to his co-worker l, they gave me $2 tips. You know what I'm saying!? Seriously??? You should be fired for that!!! This is extremely unprofessional!!! If you would like to stay happy, don't visit this location. Poor service and management if they allow employees to talk like this with their clients.

An iconic bar at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. You cannot stay at this hotel and not at least get a…read morefew drinks here. They make awesome tropical smoothies and some pretty damn good alcoholic drinks as well. My two favorite bartenders would have to be Sheldon and Jacob. They get very busy here so service can sometimes be slow but thats not their fault as they are the only bar at the beach. If you are looking for a drink with a huge kick try out the Tropical Itch, the 151 float will make you feel pretty good haha. They also have a signature drink invented by one of the past bartenders called the Fredrico. It has guava juice, rum, and jack daniels all blended with ice.