The breakfast buffet at Crater Rim was included for free with our stay at KMC, so we ate here every morning. The staff were super nice but the food was just meh/okay. Typical cafeteria offerings: liquid scrambled eggs (pretty bland), very thin bacon, steamed & fried rice, and crispy potatoes. They had Portuguese and breakfast sausage on a couple days. The fresh fruit was canned pineapple and the sliced melons were old. We did save a lot of money eating here but if I had to pay I would not eat here and drive to town for breakfast. We tried the prime rib and salmon one night for dinner and it was okay. There plenty of seating and the dining area is pretty comfortable. They had a coffee and drink station which was nice. read more

Crater Rim Cafe - Breakfast buffet - Cafes Near Me

Not sure why people are expecting fine dining on a military reservation. This was essentially any chow hall I've ever eaten at while in the marines. You're on a military reservation so manage your expectations. Like most places around here, it closes at 8pm on Friday so make sure you go early. Might be earlier on weekdays. Lots of easy to prepare, short order stuff on the menu. It's a no frills spot that'll get the job done. And it's totally fine. I had dinner here tonight and the fish & chips were just fine. Crispy batter on the fish. Crunchy fries. Salad bar. And some random dessert for $18. The staff was super super friendly. The cook had my little buzzer going before I finished my salad. On the weekends--well at least Friday--there is live music in the adjacent bar. So you can just take your food to the other room and have a drink with some music or sit in the cafeteria and listen to whatever is on the radio. read more

a cafe in the national park, it offers a good selection of both traditional and unique dishes. they have a buffet style option too. we ordered the 3-cheese omelette, breakfast bagel sandwich, and the haupia pancakes. the haupia pancakes were definitely the most special, and the portion was great for sharing. the omelette and sandwich were pretty normal, but the crispy hash brown was a nice touch read more

See all

My wife and I drove out to the volcanoes and stopped in at the Crater Rim Cafe for a small bite before heading back to Kona. We ordered the sunrise breakfast sandwich and it was one of the best sandwiches I've had. Simple, freshly made and delicious. It's an interesting cafe as it's part of the Kilauea Military Camp located inside the Volcano National Park. The dining area is clean and my wife stated the restroom has been one of the cleanest on our trip. read more

Kyra, Toosie and RJ were the morning crew for breakfast when I was staying at Kīlauea Military Camp. If you're staying at KMC, you get a complimentary breakfast buffet here. The 3 of them were so kind and filled with aloha. They truly try to brighten your day! Food was great as well for a hotel breakfast buffet. Way better than any "continental" breakfast place at a chain hotel. Overall a nice dining area with lots of seating. Nice place to start your day at with some food! read more

Crater Rim Cafe - Breakfast buffet - pancakes, yogurt, fresh fruit, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs and fried rice - Cafes Near Me

See all

Bad. I understand that budgets are tight with the military and KMC is located in a relatively remote location, but... we arrived at 9 (in the middle, maybe explaining the lack of food) and had the choice of a buffet and a "a la carte" menu. The buffet was not great, go to Volcano Village for breakfast instead. Might pay a bit more but much better quality. Eggs were the standard liquid, fine. Bacon was actually nice and crispy. They were out of fried rice. No Portuguese sausage as the buffet placard suggested - it was the typical link sausage. No fruit whatsoever and they were also out of forks (had to ask). The cereal was Cheerios, but no milk! Had to ask for that also. Also ordered the pancakes off the a la carte and they came with 3, but were heavy and dry. A couple of old, leftover bagels and English muffins were available to toast. A better bet at KMC would to go to the Java Cafe inside the Rec Center (bowling alley, arcade) and get a (still nasty-looking) pre-packaged muffin or croissant and a coffee. Or head next door to the KMC General Store for a quick snack. Overall, avoid at ALL COSTS! Kudos to the employees though, they were extremely friendly and did their best to serve the KMC guests a nice breakfast with the limited resources they were provided. read more

We dined here for breakfast everyday while staying at KMC. Breakfast food was ok. Glad it was included with our stay. Otherwise, I'd probably dine some place else even if we have to drive 20 miles away. We also went for the Saturday Night prime rib, which was ok but nothing to rave about. The staff working here are super nice and friendly though and we talked to a few of them while dining there. read more

If you're staying at Kilauea Military Camp (KMC) then you need the convenience of the Crater Rim Cafe. Good food, friendly service, and a family friendly atmosphere make this easy to use resource a must to enhance your stay and visit to KMC and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park! read more

Crater Rim Cafe - Hours of operation. - Cafes Near Me

Good eatin' at a good price. Very convenient if you're staying at KMC. Highly recommend!

We wanted to grab lunch at the bowling alley but they don't open till 1:00 now. First and last time trying this cafe, overpriced gas station salad and hot beef sandwich that's not hot. Food literally left a bad taste in my mouth. Restaurant was clean and there's lot of seating. read more

We stayed At Kilauea military camp with my cousins. It was pretty cool. I ate at this crater rim cafe every morning. They have breakfast and dinner. We only tried their breakfast there . It was $8 for my plate. I had Portuguese sausage (4 pieces) rice, eggs scrambled (2) and biscuit. Did I tell u it also came with a fountain drink ? My baby enjoyed it as well. Everything is self serve . U choose your table, u pick up your food make your own drink and also clean your plate and put it away as well. I didn't mind doing that . Guess u save a little on tip $$. Condiments we available in packets and tables were super spaced out for the pandemic so it felt safe. They also had cleaning wipes to sanitize your table n chairs. The convenience of everything in walking distance to your cabins made it more enjoyable. The staff were friendly and this gentleman even gave my daughter a cookie. Definitely going back next time we go to hilo. read more

See all

Food is not good i feel it is worst that eating in the navy ship. Food is not fresh made for the price they charge.

Located inside of Volcano National Park on KMC. They are closed on weekdays and open for holidays and some weekends. The cooks and staff are the same people who work at the bowling alley cafe. The price of the food is cheaper than other local restaurants but the food is mediocre. You are better off paying extra to eat better food elsewhere. Hope this helps read more

One word-convenience. Food is sub par (I would rate 2 stars) but the staff and the location is very excellent. We were staying at the military camp so after a long day of sight seeing where no one wanted to make decisions on where to eat or drive elsewhere, the KMC cafe was great for us because it was within walking range and fast/easy. They do have specific hours like a cafeteria so check that before heading over. The public is welcome to eat here, and there is no tax on the food due to the military ownership. However, it is pricey for what it is---military/cafeteria food! $8.5 for all you can eat baked potato and salad bar, and any of the entrées (all around ~$13-15 including the salad and potato and drink and soft serve) can also be ordered separately aka carte. I do however, think the breakfast is good and also a fair price- so maybe check that out if you are interested. read more

See all

This place use to be our Friday Nite date spot. The ono was battered & meal size pieces cooked but not over cooked. The meal comes with cold slaw, fries, dessert & a drink for $15.95. Recently long lines. They say if you don't have cash or charge it to a room then they can't serve you. The fish tonite was small, hardly battered, stiff & overcooked. Fries were cold & disgusting. They cashier tried to say their place has no half & half for coffee? If you don't ask what for dessert you won't be served any. Horrible. I will not go there until it changes. Worst meal since covid hit. It use to be great. What a shame. read more

Simple cafeteria food, limited hours (630-11 breakfast, lunch 11-1, dinner starts at 5) but good prices, cooked to order, convenient if you're staying at KMC (wouldn't come out of my way to eat here). Order and pay first, they ran out of some breakfast items around 1030 so try to avoid showing up towards the end read more

Extremely slow service with one cook in the morning. Would not recommend even considering going if you had an hour and half to spare for some basic breakfast. Disappointed and sad in the food. read more

What it is: inexpensive and unfussy cafeteria food IN THE PARK, super-convenient if you are staying at KMC. What it isn't: gourmet dining with a view of the crater. If that's what you want, head to Volcano House. Friday night unfortunately is buffet only for $16. Salad bar, rice, chicken, pig, fried fish, chicken long rice, purple sweet potatoes, haupia, brownies, and soft-serve. A free hula show follows at 7pm - I was initially expecting super-corny tourist-luau show but was pleasantly surprised when a hālau from Hilo walked through the door. Keiki, teens, and a few kupuna. They performed about ten mele and hula, both kahiko and 'alana (more of the latter). On other nights, they offer 6-8 items on the menu, or salad/baked potato bar for $8.50 that includes green salad, something like potato or mac salad, soup, and a baked potato and fixings. Except tonight, when a tour group of students ate all the potatoes! They replaced it with a pan of mashed potatoes, which was quite fine with some cheese and bacon bits. Breakfast is $6.50 per person and includes all the usual suspects. It fuels you; it is serviceable food, not fancy. Again, you can pay 2x as much at Volcano House for the macadamia waffles. You can take your trays next door into the Lava Lounge and enjoy adult beverages with your meal. I had a lava flow (uh, when in Rome...) that was about on par with the Hale Koa drinks I've had in Waikiki. Plentiful and (usually) cheap meals, which you sometimes need. Easy to give it 3 stars. read more

Was cafeteria style set up. However the Friday prime rib special was amazing! Served with choice of mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables. We ate ours in the lava room next door. Excellent bartender. Mai Tais were out of this world. We also shared a table with a gentlemen who's been on the island for about 40 years. He's a regular with many friends. music was soon to start. Met a member of the band actually the lead singer. Hope to meet her again in Keaau. 4th Friday of each month. Fun place to socialize with both locals and tourists. read more

Crater Rim Cafe - Yummy Prime rib special at Crater Rim Cafe - Cafes Near Me

Well kept secret of Volcano. Only campers and locals know about it and I want to keep it that way. The value and food cannot be matched anywhere else on the island. The bar/lounge is a great place to relax and munch while you wait for sundown to go see the lava glow. Recommended highly if your visiting or a local. read more

On a recent trip to the National Park we were looking for a place to eat that was not upscale and expensive. We found the Military Camp right in the park interesting and unique. A lot of history and a wonderful place for active or retired military to stay in cute cottages. The cafe here is open to the public and has had to change during Covid. We thought it was pretty good and a lot of food for the money. Maybe others are looking for a dining experience or gourmet food. Well that is not here, but the quality is not too bad, the people are friendly and you get a "hearty" meal for a good value. read more

My partner and I have a home in the Pahoa area of the Big Island and periodically drive up to Volcano for drinks at the Lava Lounge located in the Kilauea Military Camp. Drinks are generous pours and priced well. We often also have dinner at the Crater Rim Cafe adjacent to the lounge. Friday nights is a Hawaiian Style Buffet and other nights you can order off their menu or they offer another type of Buffet. Salad Bar (excellent) is also included along with soft drinks, coffee, etc. The food is good and plentiful, it is all you can eat. It's not a gourmet meal and the dining room is a dining hall in a Military Camp. You won't be disappointed if you have no expectations. A bonus on a Friday is they have Hawaiian entertainment in the lounge. It's a small Halau performing Hula. It's very family oriented with dancers of all ages. It really is very charming and enjoyable. The last time we visited Crater Rim Cafe it was on a Saturday on Veteran's Day weekend. They had a buffet of Prime Rib at about $28. It was like all their other buffets. Good food for the price! If you're in the Volcano area and need a drink and a hearty meal and you don't want anything fancy, I'd give this cafe a try. The price of the Buffet varies depending on if there is a theme, most times it's under $20. You never know what to expect. One time we were there for St. Patrick's Day. The buffet that night had Irish Stew, Shepherd's Pie and Corn Beef and Cabbage among other items. Now that was a Winner! read more

Great breakfast buffet! Personalized omelettes. Great service and great views of Kīlauea Caldera. Perfect place to dine with good friends today. Mahalo. read more

food was good- buffet breakfast. Omelette maker was really good and friendly. Waitress was an older fair skinned woman that couldn't be bothered and spent 80 percent of her time talking to one table in particular. Happened twice. Two stars for food and one for service read more

We had breakfast here after spending the night in one of the KMC cabins. I had the a la carte ham and cheese omelette and a side of bacon. We had a great experience and the food was cheap. If you're expecting some amazing restaurant where you will be waited on hand and foot, this is not your place. If you're looking for a decent, cheap breakfast close to the national forest, this is perfect. read more

Nothing fancy but great food. Way more affordable than the other restaurant in the park. Pair it with a park pass and fill up on cheap gas days makes it all worth while for the locals. Place to cool down out from the heat if touring Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. People are friendly and such a relaxing feeling. You don't have to be military to utilize the restaurant, bar, bowling alley, gas station or game room/coffee shop. Sunday breakfast buffets $11 adults $5.50 children 6:30am-11am read more

If you're low on $$ with a big appetite, there is an option at Crater Rim Cafe that is the best value in Volcano Village. Crater Rim Cafe is a cafeteria in the military camp inside the park, but anyone can eat here. The super deal that a local resident clued me in to recently, that made me a fan, is the all-you-can-eat baked potato and salad bar option for $8.50. It's not fancy but there's plenty of fresh vegetables and it's a mellow atmosphere, and also includes soup and a drink. You can make up a couple of huge plates of salad with a baked potato for a very reasonable price. Or you can just do the salad bar for $5, or load up a baked potato for $3.50 ! So I am recommending the salad bar option here, the rest of the menu is probably about what you'd expect at a military cafeteria. Friday nights there's usually a local halau performing a hula show in the adjoining lounge and you can carry your food back and forth to watch the show while you eat. However on Fridays you can't get just the soup and potato option, you have to spring for the whole buffet, which is about $16 and can be hit or miss when entrees are cooked by the tray-full. Still, I've had some absolutely delicious baked fish which I went back for several helpings and complimented the staff on, so it can be quite good. The full buffet on Friday nights also includes beverage and dessert, although I've been irritated a few times when the included soft serve ice cream machine for the buffet was out of commission. They usually have a decent haupia (coconut) jello anyway. After, you can continue down the road to the Halemaumau crater overlook to check the status of the active eruption and stargaze. You do have to pay park admission fees to get to the military camp, so take that into account if you do not have a park pass, and allow some time to sightsee in the park as well. read more

I am only giving this place one star because I can't give it zero. Customer service was terrible. The food was even worse. I had SOS "shit on a shingle" Basically biscuits and gravy for those you non military folks. The biscuits were gritty and the gravy didn't taste like gravy. The sausage in the gravy tasted like it was spoiled. The croissant was not fresh it was made from frozen and awful, didn't even faintly resemble the taste of a croissant. The only thing good is the coffee and the orange juice. But seriously, I've had better chow on underway when stores were running thin. Please take my advice and find someplace else. read more

Crater Rim Cafe - Cafes Near Me

It is cafeteria food, but it is good. The people working here are delightful. The prices are beyond reasonable. We spent more on drinks at other resorts than an entire meal here. read more

Crater Rim Cafe - Kalua Pork and Chicken and Papaya soup. - Cafes Near Me

We love this place. It was easy and fast to get food to my three kids after a long day exploring the park. We've had dinner here the last two nights and both times were fantastic experiences. When you walk in, you place your order with the cashier. There are only about ten selections to choose from, so it was quick to make a decision on what to order. All of the dinner selections come with an all-you-can-eat salad bar, baked potato bar, soup station, ice cream, and a drink. I felt that it was a huge value for the price, as long as you come hungry. It's also super relaxed and kid-friendly. The cashiers on both nights were nice and very helpful. The place was clean and they kept an eye out to restock anything that ran low. I loved the do-it-yourself style of this cafeteria and the kids loved that they could build their own salads. Doing it this way actually had them eating more salad than if it were served to them restaurant style! My family of 5 all give this place 5 stars for a fun time! read more

We had a horrible experience at the Cafe with regards to the food and customer service. If giving them a zero was an option, it would have been done. We would have let this slide by since we are easy going but didn't at least got a 'sorry' or a 'we will do better next time'. My wife ordered a steak made rare but what she got was an over cooked, over salted slab of something that looked like beef that could have easily been used as leather found on the bottom of a shoe. We brought it up to the older chef who rudely and angrily told her 'we don't do rare'. This was brought up to the cashier, who we thought was the manager, who defended the donkey's ass by saying the local cook is 'temperamental' and a 'well they don't serve rare burgers next door at the bowling alley'. Avoid this place and take your business to the restaurant at the Volcano House where they do make a great steak salad and made to perfection as requested! As a 30 year military verteran, I am very sad to say that MWR's dedication to our military is pathetic at this place. read more

This cafe serves up totally basic, cafeteria-grade food in a cafeteria-like environment. We were staying at the camp and ate breakfast here twice. The first morning I got an omelet with sausage and potatoes, which was pretty good. The next morning I got eggs over easy with bacon, and it was horrible. The eggs and bacon tasted cheap and dirty, the potatoes were much worse than the day before, and the whole situation didn't sit well in my belly. I left wishing I hadn't eaten anything at all. On Fridays for dinner they only serve a buffet; we checked it out and decided we'd rather eat almost anything else. We wound up back in our room with wine, cheese, and salami. It was the right call. read more

I read the two other reviews. What people expect a 5 star cafe? When they pay like Arond 100$ a night. Come on people this is an old 1920's military camp. The cafeteria was the old NCO club. I posted a few pics. For me food was good, not excellent but good. Ate breakfast everyday there because was the only cheap food (2adults $15) around on site we just had to walk a few steps. Staff was great everyday in our 4 day stay. I highly recommend it. And this is my 5 star review!!!! read more

See all

The food here is really terrible. Greasy, overcooked, with very little flavor. It is very convenient if you are staying at Kilauea Military Camp to eat here, but I would avoid it at all costs. The breakfast we had sat in our stomachs like a lump of lard for most of the day. Dinner was about the same. Then began the diarrhea. I didn't expect fabulous food here, but I didn't expect to get ill either. And the staff could have been friendlier. Next time I'll get a cabin with a kitchenette and cook my own meals. It will be much better, and less hazardous to our health. read more

Paid $57 (2 adults, 3 children) and got ripped off; this place sucks! I stopped here last visit to the Big Island and should have know better. I love staying at the camp but the food sucks: buffet is always out of some key item: an entree, shredded cheese for your salad, baked potato, etc. When the baked potatoes did come out they were old or extremely over-cooked (brown on the inside) my wife opened like six of them, top of the bin, bottom, left side right side, because she really wanted one....they were all bad, mind you they just brought them out. When we showed the people behind the counter they said that was the last batch of the night. Even the ice cream sucked, my 9 yr old wouldn't eat it! It was freezer burnt. The clam chowder had the consistency of water. Dont settle for this place bring convenient, go somewhere else! read more

Crater Rim Cafe - "fresh" batch of baked potatos - Cafes Near Me

Great convenience and OK food. It is a cafeteria and has cafeteria style food. For the price you can't beat the deal. You won't be disappointed if your expectations aren't too high. read more

To start: atmosphere is not great. 2/5 for atmosphere. But the food... fish was recommended with Cajun rub and lemon butter sauce. It was amazing. This place is also very affordable where each 13$ entree gives a side of rice and potatoes as well as delicious ube in pineapple sauce. I don't know if we came on a good night but I do not understand the other reviews. read more

I am not in, nor have I ever served in the military. So, I cannot stay in the military cabins. However, anybody with some cash can eat in this café located at the Kilauea Military Camp. My family and I ate here one evening recently when we came up to visit the Volcanoes National Park. You pay for your meal ahead of time and select an entrée. Then you can partake of the all-you-can-eat salad bar. I had fish (ono) and it was good, albeit a bit on the dry side. This ended up being the best value for the money during our entire trip to the Big Island. I would definitely come here again. If you are looking for upscale dining, then drive down to the fancy hotels in Waikoloa and pay $100 a plate and take some pictures of your food for instagram and facebook. If you are there for a laid-back dinner, then the Crater Rim Café at KMC is for you! read more

Have to give this cafeteria style military dinning hall a five because it is exactly what you would expect on a military base. Hamburger steak, BBQ Chicken, potatoes rice, great salad bar, ice cream and home made soup. My family and I enjoyed the meal and the atmosphere. Thank you. read more

For 3 adult entrees it was $51. That was ridiculous. We got 2x teriyaki chicken and 1x pork chops entree all which came with salad bar. 2 pieces of meat each ranging from $12.95-$16.95 wasn't at all worth it for us. We probably won't be back. At least the servers included exceptional service. read more