Excellent and affordable brunch place in central part of Kona! The pancakes were homemade and the loco moco was the perfect amount of saltiness and savory. Great service with sauces and other condiments if needed! read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Dang what happened?? This place fell OFF. We came for the first time in 2017 and loved it so much it was our daily breakfast the entire trip! We came back post COVID and it was a little odd but we thought it was temporary due to constraints. But coming today, it's no longer a proper restaurant but now an order window with tables to eat at which would be fine but the food quality has gone completely downhill as well. The burger patty in my moco was TOUGH and spongy. It used to have the texture of a hand formed hamburger patty but now it tastes like it was compressed by a machine. Unfortunately we probably won't be back read more

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We stopped by Grinz Coffee hoping for the ultimate Big Island breakfast experience and a stack of classic macadamia nut pancakes. Unfortunately, the pancakes seemed to be playing hide-and-seek with the macadamia nuts--I think I found a few! The Kona coffee tasted more like a standard coffee shop blend than the rich, classic Kona flavor we were hoping for. We were also a little surprised to be charged for water. The atmosphere definitely felt like a true local hangout, which was fun, but we ended up leaving early because the food was about as satisfying as the A/C on a hot Hawaiian afternoon... not much relief there. If you're looking for a very local, no-frills "local loco" experience, this may be your place. It just wasn't the island breakfast we were hoping to find. Aloha! read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Strip malting w a small window ac unit - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Browsing Yelp for Hawaiian food, I found this place. On this Saturday, there were a few minutes before closing, I rushed over. I immediately found on their specials board the item I eventually ordered. How can I pass up ox tail moco with sunny side up eggs? That's exactly what I had ordered. It came out within a few minutes. It was very hot inside despite the many fans blowing. They reach the corner where my table sat. Nothing fancy, although dining in, my meal delivered in styrofoam container and disposable utensils. The eggs were cooked properly sitting on top of the bed of rice and shredded oxtail meat with chopped green onions. The oxtail had more Asian flavor than Hawaiian but good. The order is placed at the counter and food brought to your table. read more

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So, in the past this Has been my go to place for breakfast. Lunch one time. We had heard they changed owners and place had changed. Unfortunately true, Weird??? Friday morning at 8:15 am only one other customer in place. Employees sitting and texting on phones. Staff was polite. Ordered my go to breakfast as did my son. Food took a bit longer than in past and quality was similar to the Denny's deal meals. Probably won't come back. It was under $40 for two. But it used to be quality and ample potions. Not so much anymore read more

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Thanks to Yelp Elite Bruddah Fran whose suggestion kept hubs and I from growling tummies. We came to Kona just for a few hours. 808 Grindz was a solid place for locals to have their breakfast and lunch. Due to wild goose chases in Holualoa and getting lost and many reverses following GPS our first meal of the day was after 11 am. Many tables to eat inside the restaurant and food comes out remarkably fast at reasonable prices. Thank goodness cuz that allowed us to finish up our intended errands in Kailua- Kona: KTA, Mrs. Barry's and fill up the rental car. Thanks Bruddah Fran. If they had wun tun mein I'd give them 5 stars. They had cool things like oxtail loco moco and kalbi plate for $12. read more

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Wow the ox tail loco moco was so darn good! The sauce, the tender and delicious ox tail, the fried rice. The Ube pancakes were delicious as well. Order at the counter, grab a seat and they will bring you your plates. Only downside is they use take away containers for all orders. read more

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Really liked how this place was opened at 7a, great for early risers and tourists in the neighborhood! The menu had so many interesting items! It was so fun to decide what we should order. They had a wide range of food from loco moco, pancakes and eggs. My fish of the day plate was really good. The fish was butterfish and it came with eggs of choice and fried rice. I ended up eating the whole thing. The loco moco was okay. Kids had pancakes and their ube pancakes were good. Overall, if you're looking for a good breakfast or lunch place, come check out this spot in town. read more

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Very local feel spot. There is seating outside and under but it's all first come first serve. Get your table then order and pay for your food at the desk. There's not full service as once your order is ready they bring it to you and that's pretty much it. Food wise, I got Da-Bene-Trio (crab latkes, kalua pork hash and salmon florontine) and my husband got the Braaddah moco (short ribs and beef patty). My eggs on my benne was over cooked and not runny like how it usually is. And the hollandaise sauce seems a little thick. It was alright but not the best I've ever had. The ribs on the moco was good but the beef patty was over cooked. Not soo good. Overall this place is okay, would I come back again prolly not. read more

Food was good, we came the morning at 9:30. It was a full house with limited seating available. Service was friendly. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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We went in on a Saturday morning @ 8 am. It was empty. Parking- There is plenty of parking because it is on a strip mall. There are tables inside and outside. When you go in, you order at the cashier and they give you the food in To Go Containers whether you are going to eat in or out. I ordered the 808 Grindz Moco and it was delicious. 10/10 The Gravy was good and the rice too. They have soda cans for $2.50 each. I would return. read more

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Excellent Breakfast Foods. Friendly staff. Loved the Ube Pankcakes and Portuguese sausage. A few tables inside and outside and plenty of parking in the shopping center. read more

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I had a corned beef moco and tea. The eggs were cooked well but there was very little meat or gravy, so it just tasted like egg and rice. My mom said the same of her crab Benedict. My kids liked their ube pancakes and rainbow French toast. The restaurant small and service is quick for as busy as it is. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Corned beef moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Came in to pick up breakfast. Grabbed the corn beef moco with the fried rice and it was delicious. Service was fast & staff were friendly. Would come back again read more

Great spot for a quick brunch near Kona, friendly staff and provided recommendations. This was my last meal so wanted to make sure it was hearty and homey. This meal was exactly that, steak was cooked medium rare, shrimps were dosed in a sweet chili sauce, eggs over easy and toast on the side. Well balanced meal before a flight home. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Steak and Shrimp Breakfast Plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

We chose this breakfast place because of the many positive reviews, but our experience was mixed. My husband ordered a loco moco-style dish with short ribs, and I ordered Eggs Benedict with avocado and asked to remove the bacon. At first, everything looked good. We appreciated the large cups of coffee and juice, and the menu was very helpful with pictures showing different egg styles and side options. That was a nice touch! We choose to dine in, but the food was served in to-go boxes with plastic utensils anyway, just their style I suppose. It was fine but not very comfortable. At first glance, my dish looked ok, but the potatoes were very large and not crispy (I usually prefer smaller, crispier potatoes). There was also no hot sauce offered, which I normally enjoy with potatoes. More importantly, the hollandaise sauce had a strange taste, not the classic flavor I expected. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't good. My husband said his dish was okay. However, a few hours later, he felt unwell, which was concerning, especially since he has had this type of dish before without any issues. Another small disappointment: since I removed the bacon, it would have been nice if the staff had offered a substitute protein (like salmon or something else), but no alternative was suggested. Overall, we weren't frustrated, it's vacation, and we tried to stay relaxed, but the food quality and small details just didn't feel right. Unfortunately, I also felt nauseous later that evening, which added to the disappointment. This place has potential, but our experience didn't match the high expectations set by the reviews. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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As locals from Oʻahu, we love supporting local businesses whenever we can, especially when we travel around the islands. That's why I was really excited to try 808 Grindz Cafe, and I truly wanted to love this place. Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing. The cafe was busy, so waiting about 30 minutes for our food wasn't a big deal--we completely understood that. I ordered the Braddah Moco and a stack of Macadamia Nut Pancakes. One thing that surprised me was that the pancakes don't automatically come with the macadamia nut sauce. Since it's their signature macadamia pancake, I honestly assumed the sauce would be included. Instead, they only came with syrup, so if you want the macadamia sauce, make sure you order it separately. We took our food to the beach, about a 20-minute drive away. Once we unpacked everything, we realized our Portuguese sausage was missing, and I was still disappointed about not having the macadamia sauce. We had to drive another 20 minutes back through traffic just to get the missing sausage. By the time we got back, nearly an hour had passed. They handed us the original Portuguese sausage they had forgotten to bag instead of making a fresh one or even reheating it. It was completely cold, which was frustrating after making the extra trip. I ended up ordering the macadamia nut sauce separately, and thankfully it was served hot. It definitely made the pancakes better, but I still think it's strange that it isn't included with the Macadamia Nut Pancakes in the first place. The food itself had good flavors, but the missing items, the extra drive, and the lack of attention to our order really took away from the experience. I know mistakes happen, and I still want to support local businesses because that's important to us. I just hope they improve their quality control and double-check takeout orders before handing them out, because I truly wanted this place to become one of my favorites. read more

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No frills spot! There's basic, limited seating and you order at the window. They have condiments you can pick up as well, salt and pepper etc. Food comes out super fast though! I got the country omelette with a side of hashbrowns and it was quite delicious. The Portuguese sausage really look it to the next level. My parents got grilled potatoes, and I enjoyed that more than the hashbrowns though they required salt and pepper. My sister got the Mac nut pancakes with macnilla sauce and it was also very unique flavor profile wise. Good spot for a quick brunch/breakfast and more affordable compared to other counterparts. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Country omelette - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Everything is more expensive on the island so it's nice to find a place that's a little more affordable and still provides a quality meal. 808 Grindz is a couple blocks from the waterfront so you don't have to pay the ocean-front premium. The dining area is small so big parties might be separated. While we were dining, a party of 7 was able to join several tables on the patio but I think they were lucky because the place was pretty busy. The style is fast casual so you order at the counter and the staff brings it out as it's prepared. I ordered a crab cake Benedict and even though it was served in a clamshell (all meals are) it was flavorful and satisfying. The meal was complemented with a POG (passion fruit, orange, guava). Exchange the flower garnish and beach front view for a decent brunch at a decent price. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Cozy dining area - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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I am a huge breakfast connoisseur! So when I heard about this place in Hawaii, I had no choice but to visit! All I can say is that I was completely blown out of the water! I ordered the POG (passionfruit-orange-guava) as my beverage, and it was both soothing and thirst quenching! For my main course I ordered the macadamia nut pancakes , with a side of hash-browns, The hash-browns tasted like pure Southern comfort and reminded me of my Grandmother's!!! Yum! The macadamia nut pancakes came with delicious hazelnut butter and syrup!!! The pancakes melted in my mouth, and the texture with the amazing macadamia nuts was pure bliss! I will be back to try more items! Amazing friendly service + a laid back ambiance while I dined in. Cheers! read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Macadamia Nut Pancakes - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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808 Grindz Cafe serves up a solid breakfast. We visited them on our last trip to Kona before the pandemic and during our latest trip 2 days in a row. It was super close to our hotel. Pretty casual setup. You order at the window and take a seat inside or outside. They bring the food to you pretty quickly and everything we tried was really good just like the last time. I ordered a 1/2 of an eggs Benedict with seasoned grilled potatoes and a country omelet with Portuguese sausage and same potatoes on the 2nd day. Was not looking for anything too heavy. The portions and the price were great in comparison to other restaurants in the area. My husband enjoyed the corned beef moco twice with fried rice one day and steamed rice the next. Lots of parking. We got seating right away on both days. Thanks for giving us a nice start to both of our days on island. read more

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Amazing place. Has a very local vibe. Food is fantastic. (get the fried rice upgrade with SPAM! So good!). Service great. Super friendly. Strip center, so ambiance is meh. But plenty of other opportunity to experience beauty here on the island. Highly recommend!!! read more

Found this on the top of the list for breakfast and it didn't disappoint. You order at the window and they bring it to your table. Quick service. Really nice little hole in the wall. Couldn't have had a better meal to start the day. The fried rice was action! And the ube pancakes were solid. My dad enjoyed his steak and eggs. Came with some pineapple and oranges that were really good too. Definitely a good stop! read more

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I had the Mowie Wowie with hashbrowns. It was bland so I added hot sauce and then ketchup to the hashbrowns. It was made quickly and the staff was welcoming! read more

808 Grindz Cafe - I had the Mowie Wowie with hashbrowns. It was a little bland and I added hot sauce and ketchup (to the hashbrowns). - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

This place is so delicious, worth the trip. Ordered a steak moco with a side of spam and short ribs. Custom ordered it with fried rice. Man this was so good. I couldn't stop eating it I know most of the loco moco dishes in hawaii drown the food in the gravy, but if I were to order this again I would ask for the gravy on the side. Why? Bc the steak tasted amazing and I felt that the gravy over powered the well seasoned and tender steak. The eggs with sunny side up and fried to perfection. The rice was nom nomz for sure. Spam was good- I would prolly ask for this to be more on the crispy side (personal preference). And the short ribs were so bomb. Made me question if I shoulda chose the short ribs moco with a side of streak lol Awifey had the regular eggs Benedict and it was good and with gooey yolks :) crispy hash browns too! Son ordered a small stack of Ube pancakes. They were tasty- I can't help but to wonder why they tasted gummy. It might be that they use something like mochiko or glutinous rice flour. Anyhoo, the coconut and Ube syrup mix was so tasty! Overall I wish I lived near this place- I would order the same things again! Thank you for the delicious food and friendly service! read more

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Poor service, bad quality and not a good customer service. They charged overpriced and not worth read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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We got there at 7am when they opened. The place was really dirty. There was food and detritus all over the windowsills, handprints on the windows. The tables did appear to have been wiped and there were no flies inside. The menu is appetizing and the service was fast and efficient. The coffee was good. Prices were very competitive. Looks like a husband and wife team, but if so, I did not understand why they were not cleaning surfaces whenever they had a moment to spare. I didn't see any pride of place, right down to the napkins stuffed under the table legs. I got the crab latkes. The crab was not in lumps, it was mixed in with the shredded potatoes. The menu did say it is a hash so that was accurate. The Hollandaise was good and plenty given. The latkes could have been crispier. The onions seemed like Maui onions, sweet, and the bell peppers added flavor and color. My poached eggs were significantly undercooked as to the whites. Because the food is served in a to go container, there was no residual heat to keep the dish warm or continue cooking the eggs. So they stayed raw. I tried to scrape off the raw whites. I was surprised they were serving in to go containers. I don't know how I read all the reviews and did not see this. My husband got short rib loco with over easy eggs. He really liked it, although the ribs could have been more tender. The sauce was good and the eggs were cooked properly. By the time we were leaving, several families had come in on their way to the beach. This restaurant is very good for that as it isn't fancy and is ready quickly. I would like to see this restaurant succeed. I suggest that they invest in getting the place thoroughly cleaned at least once, and maintain that cleanliness level by wiping everything all the time. While I don't mind counter service, I feel the food was done a disservice by the Togo containers in which it was served. TK Noodle and some other nearby restaurants have managed to do counter service plus using at least melamine dishes, so I hope that 808 can figure out a way to do this too. Some people don't mind cold Hollandaise, but I really prefer mine warm. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Short rib loco - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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My first time in Kona Big island , so this is one of the first restaurants we went too. So far so good and reminds me when I used to live in Maui but since we moved to Washington it's hard to get local food anywhere . The people are nice and service is as what you expect it , even though they ain't local Hawaiian they have got the Aloha Vibe. read more

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Local comfort food worth the wait. We came to 808 Grindz twice during our trip--always a good sign. The menu is full of hearty, local favorites, but the ube pancake was the standout. Fluffy, lightly sweet, and topped with their signature mac-nilla sauce--it's a must-order. Portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and the vibe is laid-back and friendly. Expect a bit of a wait, but service is fast once you're seated. Definitely a spot we'll keep coming back to whenever we're in Kona! read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Food: the sauce, egg and protein are very well done; flavor balanced and delicious. To me, the rice is still too much, but with the price and value ratio, it's not too bad, and the savory flavor can make you finish most of it somehow. Service: they're very busy and people flooded in during lunch time, so we ended up sitting outside. The staff were able to locate us and brought the food, which is very nice and helpful. Ambiance: super casual. Family, couples and friends are all suitable for a quick bite. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Loco moco - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Just ok. I had the short rib moco. The gravy was just ok, not very flavorful. The beef was a little tough. Overall, just ok. Nothing special. read more

Came here for their ube pancakes and they were ok, but not as good as Nephi's. The regular pancakes with the mac nut sauce were pretty good and the omelet my husband got was packed with meat. I got the corn beef with eggs and toast and it was underwhelming. The hash browns weren't very crispy and overall it was just an average breakfast. I feel there are definitely better options though the pricing here is apparently competitive. read more

So sad, I haven't been back in a while and see that the original owners sold their business. Tried their food anyway, maybe the recipe was sold with it! No. The 808 Grindz moco and macnut pancakes definitely doesn't taste the same. The beef patty on the moco was extremely dry and the macnut pancake was overcooked and chewy. The ambiance and service seem to lack aloha. Unfortunately won't be coming back anymore. read more

The food was tasty and the portions are plentiful. The pancakes were light and fluffy not spongy. Open from 7-1 closed Sundays. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Omelet, 3 fluffy pancakes and fried rice - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

food is so delicious! best loco moco thus far on the island and this is where the locals go! Super easy to find and get to, and the prices cannot be beat! Resort mocos are $32 and are blah... this is heaven for $15! It's a must stop on the Island! read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Corned Beef Loco Moco with fried rice - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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This place was a staple for us every time we came to the Big Island. Granted, it's been a couple of years since we came here and this place has definitely changed...the level of service and quality of food was lacking. Of everything we ate, the Mac nut pancakes with the macnilla sauce were the best. Fluffy pancakes with sweet creamy sauce was delicious. We also ordered the corned beef and eggs, seafood omelette, mowie wowie omelette, and 808 loco moco. All lacked flavor and needed salt. One of our omelettes also took a long time to get to the table; it didn't arrive until all of the rest of the table finished their food and our waitress wasn't helpful when we asked about it. read more

Small restaurant, but not busy at all. We came at like 9:30am and surprised there weren't that many people. Service here is quick and efficient, and we got our food sooo quick. We ordered a loco moco and a crab cake eggs Benedict. I normally don't get loco moco, but it seems like a must try here, and it really tastes sooooo good. The fried rice with it and the hamburger patty, the sauce, everything was soooo flavorful! Also the eggs here are quite thicc! I tried my friends crab cake Benedict and those were also quite hefty. The crab cake itself was a bit dry, but still pretty good. The breakfast potatoes here are also very thicc wow. Everything was really good! Definitely changed my experience of the loco moco haha. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Loco moco & medium egg - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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This place was absolutely disappointing. Maybe it used to be good...but it was our most disappointing experience in a week on the Big Island, eating all three meals in restaurants. You have to place your order at a window; everything was "served" in cheap paper take out containers; I asked for my eggs to be done "medium", and they were completely runny. The place was not very clean, was very "run-down" looking, and was just a total "downer" of an experience. My advice? Stay away, no matter what people say. It must have changed owners or something? read more

This review is powered by Ube Pancakes! They're great! Split a full stack with the wifey and we were set for hours! Good coffee too! Get there early on a Sunday, they get busy. Side note: the windows are tinted (very tinted) but they are open. I almost kept driving and would have missed these pancakes. A hole in the wall that is worth the visit. read more

Casual environment with good food! My family came here on vacation and we were happy with our experience. Great value for the price! Service was great as well. read more

808 Grindz Cafe - Hawaiian Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii