Kailua-Kona, offered referred to simply as Kona, is a charming town located on the west coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. You’ll also hear this side of the island called “the sunny side” for unlike the eastern side of Hawaii where you’ll find the waterfalls, Hilo is considered, of no surprise, the wet side of the island.
Dining in Hawaii can be very pricey. However, when our family travels, we try to balance the fancy, more special occasion restaurants with those that provide good food along with good value. So, this list will provide many choices for your foodie budget.
Here are some of our favorite restaurants in Kona HI with some insider tips to help you choose your favorite dishes. If you are a seafood lover however, you are definitely in the right place!
8 Must-Try Restaurants In Kona HI
Fish Hopper
75-5683 Ali’i Drive, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // + 1 (808)-326-2002
This local laid-back favorite eatery open for breakfast, lunch and dinner offers great views from the seawall in the town of Kona. Fish is what they do best but you’ll also find tacos, wraps and sandwiches at lunch along with more seafood, pasta and steak during the dinner hour.
However, if you’re searching for a good happy hour, Fish Hopper delivers with both land and sea options and great drink prices. Coconut prawns, fish tacos and Kalua pork sliders are good options along with oysters on the half shell.
One of my go-to lunch or dinner entrees is the Fresh Local Mahi Mahi Crusted with Macadamia Nuts served with sauteed local organic vegetables, Sweet Molokai mashed potatoes, mango-papaya salsa and an amazing citrus cream sauce. This is amazing.
Broke da Mouth Grindz
74-5565 Luhia Street #110, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // +1 (808) 331-2200
You’ve got to love a restaurant whose Hawaiian pidgin idiom means something is exceptionally delicious. This is exactly what diners will find at this casual spot that serves up platters of Filipino and Hawaiian fusion cuisine.
In 2018, Guy Fieri featured the restaurant on his Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show. Broke Da Mouth Grindz’s signature dish is Da Garlic Furitake Chicken and you’ll likely say it’s the most flavorful chicken you’ve ever tasted.
You won’t find fancy ambiance here, but you’ll get some great lunch and dinner entrees with the option of take-out as well.
Huggo’s On the Rocks
75-5828 Kahakai Road, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // +1 (808) 329-1493
This restaurant literally sits on the rocks offering picturesque views overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Initially opened in 1969, Huggo’s is considered a Kailua-Kona classic. When making a reservation, however, specify outdoor dining.
Guests have some great dinner options from the land and sea including pupus (starters), salads, sizzling skillet dishes and pasta.
You definitely must make room for dessert as Huggo’s makes all their own grand finales in-house. The Mauna Kea Ice Cream Pie is divine with a Macadamia Nut ice cream covered with a fudge topping dripping down from the top, an Oreo cookie crust with whipped cream and macadamia nuts. There’s plenty to share!
Jackie Rey’s Kona
75-5995 Kuakini Highways, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // + 1 (808) 327-0209
The majority of Jackie Rey’s customers are locals because the Hawaiians know a good thing when they see it. The restaurant is so popular that the husband-and-wife team added a second location on the Hilo side of the Big Island. No surprise, when you consider how Jackie Rey’s excels in every detail from food and service to ambiance.
First, let me say that Jackie Rey’s has an amazing happy hour from 3 pm to 5 pm daily – one of the best you’ll find on the island with great selections of tropical drinks, beer, wine, and pupu picks. Macnut Ahi Tartar is a melt-in-your-mouth sushi delight as are the Kalua pork quesadilla, pork ribs and coconut-crusted brie.
If you’re here for dinner, fish entrees are amazing.
But for land-lubbers, the sous vide duck breast, bone-in-center cut pork shop and steaks were winners with our family members.
Umeke’s Fishmarket & Grill
74-5599 Pawai Place, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // +1 (808) 238-0571
73-220 Kupipi Street, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // no phone (located at the Kona International Airport)
When it comes to the best poke, Umeke’s is the place the locals rave about. And for good reason. The name is Hawaiian for bowl and consists of sushi-grade ahi tuna, seasoned and served on two scoops of rice with a side that includes seaweed salad, lomi salmon and ho’io salad with fiddle ferns, tomato, onion, kombu, kamaboko and sesame.
Beef, chicken, pork and vegetarian dishes are good here too. The entrees are so satisfying and to the delight of visitors and locals alike, Umeke’s features two locations in Kailua-Kona, both open for lunch and dinner.
Da Poke Shack
76-6246 Ali’I Drive, Suite 101, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // +1 (808) 329-7653
Opened in 2010, this casual seaside joint is always in competition with Umeke’s regarding which serves the best poke bowls in the area. As a frequent visitor to Hawaii, I have to say that they’re both amazing.
This is definitely a casual, local haunt without any pomp and circumstance, but poke enthusiasts truly love it. The fish is always fresh and they also offer vegetarian, pork and shrimp options if fish isn’t your thing.
It is a popular place, especially for the locals so if you do come for lunch (served between 10 am and 4 pm, or until they sell out for the day), come early as there’s not a whole lot of outdoor seating. But it’s a great quick and easy lunch with lots of menu choices including some fascinating sides and salads.
‘Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge
72-100 Ka’upulehu Drive, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // +1 (808) 913-1846
This is such an amazing place for so many reasons. You get to sit feet in the sand, directly on the beach and enjoy the calming waves and gentle ocean breezes underneath a canopy of stars as you enjoy dinner at this Four Season’s Resort signature restaurant.
The setting alone is worth a visit. Add in local seafood with flavors inspired by the Pacific Rim with ingredients used from 160 local farms and waters, and you have the recipe for an unforgettable dining experience.
‘Ulu is open for a la carte breakfast and dinner. This isn’t a budget-friendly restaurant but oh, is the cuisine amazing and the setting unforgettable.
The menu is somewhat limited but with great choices, especially if you’re a seafood lover. A great dinner choice is the Ka’akai (Ocean Grill) with your choice of Ahi Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Daily Catch or Kampachi served with Kona Farm Vegetable Succotash, Bok Choy and Yuzu Butter.
Kona Brewing Company
74-5612 Pawai Place, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 // +1 (808) 334-2739
I’m always a bit hesitant when I visit a destination and someone recommends a brewpub restaurant. Initially, my thoughts are, “This is probably pub food I can get anywhere.”
But I have to say that after my husband (who is a huge fan of micro beer) suggested we try lunch at Kona Brewing Company, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the experience, especially after spending a great day on the beach. In addition, a brewpub that’s been in business for over 20 years is doing something right.
First, we love sampling local beers when we travel and the brewery encourages you to try them before you buy them. Or opt for a beer flight.
But the real surprise here was the quality of the entrees to accompany our favorite local brews Kona Brewing Company calls “Liquid Aloha.”
Pizza and beer are a match made in heaven and Kona Brewing Company offers a myriad of hand-tossed choices made from scratch daily using Longboard Island Lager from the brewery.
These pies are loaded and shareable. But there are many other options here to choose from that include pupus, salads, sandwiches and main entrees.
Whether you’re craving authentic Hawaiian food or craft beer and pizza, our guide to the best restaurants in Kona HI has something for everyone!
Noreen Kompanik is a Registered Nurse and San Diego-based travel writer and photographer. Over 400 of her published articles have appeared in 38 different digital and print publications. She especially loves writing about family travel, luxury travel, food, wine, coffee, history and travel writing and shares these articles on her travel website What’s In Your Suitcase.