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Here's some Kona Restaurant
Recommendations |
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Restaurants and good places to
eat in Kailua Kona, Hawaii |
| I'm salivating just thinking about all the food....
In all reality, my tastes tend to run more towards the budget end of
the spectrum- but there is good food available in the lower price ranges
in Kona. By no means have I eaten everywhere, but I'll list some of
our favorites (in no particular order) below. As I stumble onto new
providers of epicurean bliss, I'll add them to the list.
Note: It's 2009 now and I haven't updated this in a couple
years... Sadly, a couple great places are gone, but happily,
there are some other spots new and old which I've tried, so I've
added them to the list... If you see blank spots,
I've eliminated a place that was out of business and will be
adding a new name as I get the chance...(this page is a work in
progress that I'll be forever slowly updating.
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A Manta Ray enjoys a plankton buffet drawn by diver's
lights (note the diver in the lower right of the picture to get an idea of
the manta's size). |
| Kona Brewing Company: Great pizza, great
beer. Say no more. |
| Kona Mixed Plate: Very popular plate
lunch place for the locals. Fish, Bulgogi, Korean Chicken, etc. |
| Drysdales: these guys have
pretty decent food in the say 7-12 buck range. It's
sort of a sports bar/resort type of spot in Keauhou shopping
center. Their big burger is pretty darned good. |
| Splasher's Grill- Currently
a favorite spot of Pat and I. Very good half pound
burgers, spicy waffle cut fries and onion rings. Lots
of other good stuff too. They have a very good
breakfast... their loco moco is very good sized, Pat really
likes their eggs benedict on crab cakes breakfast.
Located across from the seawall from the pier along Alii
drive, it's a great spot for a casual meal. |
| Costco: The ultimate cheap meal in
Kona! Sample foods in the grocery section then go to the lunch
counter for pizza, dogs or a chicken bake. I doubt any restaurant in
Kona serves the number of people their lunch counter does each day. |
| Lulu's: Good burgers, chicken wings and
finger foods. |
| Pine Trees Cafe. This is a
plate lunch place off Queen Kaahamanu Highway about 2 miles
south of the airport and a mile north of the Kaloko
industrial area. Good plate lunch meals at a decent
price for the area. They open early and have a
breakfast that I've heard is decent. Probably a
good stopping off place for divers staying at the resorts up
north that want a quick breakfast before diving or a quick
meal after diving out of Honokohau Harbor. |
| U-top-it: Another very
interesting spot behind Lava Java. They do crepes,
breakfast items and also put out a very good burger. |
| Royal Jade Garden: My favorite Chinese
food. The food counter is set up like many mediocre mall Chinese
fast food joints, but the food quality is excellent. |
| Royal Thai Cafe: A very good Thai
restaurant which opened recently and is expanding already. |
| Aloha Angel Cafe: A nice little cafe in the
Aloha Theater up in Kainaliu. It changed hands a couple of years
back and they've added to the menu and are now open for
dinners. Semi-upscale, but casual. Update 2009 -
not sure if they're open for dinner anymore, you might want
to check... good breakfasts though. |
| Roadhouse Cafe up in Kainaliu
across from the Aloha Cafe. This is an interesting
spot. I haven't eaten there in quite a while, but when
it first opened it had some interesting menu items for a
very reasonable price.. you could eat a meal for 5
bucks. Great looking desert items too. |
| Ocean's Sports Bar: Pretty
decent food, best on tap beer selection in Kona from what
I've seen. Located down in the Coconut Grove
Marketplace. |
| Manago Hotel: Located in Captain Cook in
a hotel that's been there for years, their pork chop dinner is famous
amongst the locals. Can't say as I've been there for dinner, but I
thought I'd mention it because of it's reputation. |
| Coffee Shack Deli: A very nice little
Deli just south of Captain Cook. This spot has the best view of any
eatery in Kona (even better than, I kid you not, Wendy's at the Keauhou
shopping center). Their
sandwiches have great breads which they make everyday. |
| Keei Cafe: Took me years to
get there, but this place is probably one of the best
restaurants, if not the best, in Kona. I'd heard lots
of good things and we finally went, it was great. Now we go
at least a couple times a year. They were in a little 9
table hole-in-the-wall and last year expanded into a spot in
Kealakekua that is quite fabulous - It'll give most (none
that I've been to yet can match it) of the fancy resort
places a run for their money as far as atmosphere and
food quality, but the menu tops out in the low 20's.
This is no longer the best kept secret in Kona, you'll need
reservations. |
| Cafe Pesto: Located up in Kawaihae and
over in Hilo. Great pastas and such and has quite the following. |
| I'll lump the chain places into
one little post: Bubba Gumps, Outback
Steakhouse. They're all pretty good, reasonable priced
and have good service. Bubba Gumps apparently is known
to have a good breakfast too, not a lot of good breakfast
spots in Kona any more. |
| Hawaiian Style Cafe: Located in Waimea.
If this place wasn't almost 90 minutes from my place I'd be eating there
2-3 times a week. (Note, I'm avoiding excess carbs these days - down
40 lbs - so haven't been there in a while, but still hear
great reports) Delicious and absolutely huge
servings. Fred Flintstone would eat here! A plate lunch
place for those with serious high metabolism disorders. The island's
largest Loco Moco, burgers start with a pound of beef, great breakfasts
(you get your choice of pancakes or toast on the side - if you take
pancakes...you probably won't be hungry 'til the next day). Most
meals are only 5-7 bucks and I haven't seen anything in Hawaii that can
touch this place for value. |
| The Vista at the Country Club: Located in
Keauhou on the way to the new Sheraton, this place is not well
known. I've only been there once, but it was nice, quiet (a local
trio played light music), good food and great service. If you want a
nice slightly upscale meal without a crowd, consider this place. Update
2009 - might want to check on their hours, have heard them advertise
breakfast, maybe lunch, not sure if they're doing dinner on a regular
basis right now. |
| Senior Billy's: This small restaurant in
Captain Cook is located at the old Senior Billy's y Grandma's. Used
to be a fast food type Mexican restaurant, now is more of a sit down
place. Very decent Mexican food. Our favorite Mexican food
place over here these days. |
| Paparoni's Pizza: This is a small pizza
and Italian eatery in Captain Cook. Good pizza, saves us south Kona
residents a trip into town. They're part of the Captain Cook Bakery
Company which is known for it's banana bread and good inexpensive
sandwiches. |
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