My first luau and I did not know what to expect. My expectations were not high, due to the mix…read morereviews, but I had an amazing time! The food was good with plenty options, drinks were plenty, and the entertainment was wonderful. It was a beautiful experience to be exposed to a version of Polynesian cultural celebration. I appreciated every moment and the work of the dancers and musicians. I highly recommend and suggest to attend with an open heart and open mind.

I've attended many luaus in Hawaii before and this one felt very commercialized. For general…read moreadmission, you'll be seated at long tables with other groups. This wasn't a huge deal, but the venue was on a slope and the tables were spaced fairly close together which was uncomfortable. Some drinks had spilled and just ran down the table into other guests' areas. Early on in the luau, guests had the opportunity to view an Imu Ceremony which was cool and something I haven't had the opportunity to witness at other luaus. My group was immediately started with 2 drinks each which was sugary and didn't have much alcohol in it. And apparently their policy is that each guest can't have more than 2 drinks at a time, but you could ask to swap out your drinks (you don't have to finish it). The buffet had a good spread of items, from basics like salad to regional flavors like kalua pork. The quality was fine - obviously not Michelin star quality, but it wasn't school cafeteria food either. I appreciate the large plates because you could fit a little bit of each item on there so you could try it all. I didn't see many people go back for seconds. Clearly the luau organizers are strategic about the food lineup so people don't overload on the meat at the end. The entertainment was fine. The performers were great, but honestly I didn't feel like there was much energy from the stage nor the crowd. Overall, the experience could've been better. Many of the employees looked tired and stressed and seemed to be on auto-pilot. It felt a bit like the guests were like cattle being shuffled around.

We couldn't find a reservation anywhere and the owner accommodated us, working with our concierge,…read morewhich was really nice of them both to make our trip the best it could be. I really enjoyed the entire night, it didn't feel overly long or boring at all. The band started out the evening and the MC kept the eve going with meanings or origins behind the dances which added a lot to the experience. There was a nice mix of crowd interaction and the performers and you can't miss the finale with a dancer tossing and eating fire which really made the evening- these were all professionals and it showed. The wait staff was friendly and on point. The food is a pre fix type of meal and very filling with lots of protein, you can have as much as you like, but one plate was plenty for me with a nice slice of cheese cake with either guava or pineapple syrup applied as dessert. It's not so much about the food as the entertainment factor if you go. The setting is off a golf course, it's great for star gazing after the show and they do have a photographer at sunset if you are so inclined. A lovely night out.

I was trying to book a Laua a little last minute and not many places had availability by us. I…read morestumbled upon them and I am glad I did. If you are out off by the distance from your resort, please do not be, it is worth it and the drive was beautiful. We were greeted with a shell necklace and a picture they give you the opportunity to purchase. They have goats roaming the property and it was fun to watch them. Not a big coconut fan but the mai tais were delicious. While waiting for the show to start they have two activities you can practice. It makes you realize how hard what they are doing really is. It was a lot of fun before the show started. The food was amazing. The best pork I've had the entire trip. Nothing compared to it honestly. The barbecue pork was delicious. We ordered seconds for both and did not waste a single piece. The roasted fruit was delicious. Not a cantaloupe fan but it definitely opened me back up to it. I am not a seafood fan, but I am always willing to try. The shrimp was delicious. The fish was great too. It didn't taste fishy and had great flavor. I ended up eating my boyfriends, and that was surprising since I normally can't handle it. Food broke my scale 100/10. They give you the opportunity to practice the hula when they start the show and it was a lot of fun being able to be involved. The performers were all amazing. I watched in awe the entire show. At one point they have all the Males stand up to practice the haka and it was so fun seeing them so it. The host was great and funny. He explained everything well. It was nice to hear the stories of all the dances which I know not every Laua does. It was very informative. The fire performer was amazing! It was so cool to see and as I was scanning the room you could see everyone was enjoying it and were amazed by his talent. Overall I would highly recommend. Everyone was very friendly and I was able to learn a lot about the culture and their history. I am beyond happy with the purchase. Absolutely worth it. Please take the time out of your day to make the beautiful drive down and experience this amazing experience!!

This man was our Plan B for Dinner after our flight. It d in the Marriott , across from our stay…read more We went simple, fish n chips and a burger n fries The Grill is right on the sand. Great ambience , still a C Note to dine. Gotta keep that in mind.

The service here is great! The food is good too. Husband loves the fresh mahi fish and chips. The…read morefries are really good too. It's hard to find good fish and chips. We found it on the island. Right at the hotel we are staying at. The desserts are delicious too and prices are not too steep for Hawaii. The portions are big enough to share between 2 people and the view during day or night is nice. Great vibes!

We went for karaoke. Never been to "hostless" karaoke. They just leave the karafun software on and…read morepeople bar code in. All the mics had dead batteries, and the place wasn't set up when we showed up at published start time. Then the system wasn't remotely calibrated or balanced. The bartender that helped us was doing his best but some boss somehow expected this poor kid to bartend in one room and set up karaoke simeltaneously in another. I wouldn't go back especially since there are so many friendlier, nicely run karaoke places in Kona. My friend grimaced at the house wine: it's a bowling alley I laughed ...you wanted a good chardonnay?

At Chubby's diner, inside KBXtreme:: Great, friendly service from the two sweet ladies at the…read morecounter. AMAZING Traditional Hawaiian food!! We had Kalua Pork & Cabbage with fried rice & macaroni salad and Loco Moco with Kalua Pork with white rice - both were SUPER DELICIOUS!! Also enjoy the banana lumpia - yes, I said banana lumpia! - for dessert! Very casual atmosphere, food & service were top-notch! FULLY RECOMMEND!

Such a once and a life time experience!! My family and I were in such pure amazement. The story…read morethat was told by the dance was so heart felt to where it made me cry but they were happy tears. I hope my family and I can attend another one.

Don't waste your time or money on this Luau. I was looking forward to an authentic Hawaiian Luau…read more This was a restaurant in a strip mall with a luau on the back patio. The stage was a platform with a pop up tent type cover with a view of the dumpster behind the fence and the recycling center beyond that. The food was awful, small portion, cold and not very flavorful. We had a cheesy picture taken upon arrival in front of a backdrop that was a fishing charter. The outcome didn't even crop out the building. Truly as waste of $300.00+. I felt I was taken for a fool/stupid tourist.

Shout out to Madison for excellent service for our party of 12. The best I've seen in a long time…read more Thank you Madison . And the food was very good.

A great bar and grill by one of the more popular beaches in the Kona area. They have a killer patio…read moreoverlooking the beach and the ocean, so rightfully most tables are outside. Tons of seating, they could serve hundreds at a time with all those tables. Servers and bartenders were awesome! Expect a short wait at peak lunch and dinner time slots. The bar is great, with island spirited cocktails and some local brews on tap! Snacked on plenty of appetizers, they were tasty!

Staff is awesome. Drink menu is good, and they are happy to make whatever you come up with…read moreoff-menu. You can't beat the location or the sunset view. The sushi was my favorite meal on the resort. If you can't be happy here, happiness has left you behind.

Shipwreck Bar is a beautiful, beach, actual boat, bar on the grounds of gorgeous Rosewood Resort…read more We stopped by on our way to our accommodations in Kona. The parking was easy, we did not pay for parking, and we were directed to the bar by the staff member. This review is for drinks only. The bar also offers sushi (at a high price point). We went for sunset drinks, and were treated to a fantastic view. Drinks are well made by the friendly bar tenders. We really enjoyed stopping by.

I had heard the storied history of the Kona Brewers Festival since moving here, but never had the…read moreopportunity to go. I'm glad I waited as this year, I had a weekend filled with beer! Arguably, this is the best beer festival to which I've ever been! The festival is primarily a charity event, with all the proceeds going to local and Big Island foundations and groups. It's all volunteer run, from the set-up, clean-up, staff, and pourers; they're working for free and don't get to join in the fun! The festival is located at the King Kamehameha Hotel, a Courtyard Marriott right on the Kona bay. The beach is right in the middle of the festival and provides a beautiful foreground, while the mountains and trees provide a picturesque landscape beyond. For 2019, the weather was overcast and kind of cool, yet humid and hot at the same time. I was glad to wear sunscreen and a hat, you'll need them in the afternoon sun! The festival offers various ticket choices from the high tier Connoisseur's Lounge, to VIP, and General Admission. There are also so many complimentary or discounted levels for groups that assist in the planning of the event. The Connoisseur's Lounge includes an extra hour of special tastings and food in the hotel's restaurant area with music and air conditioning. Their badge was also a piece of koa as a keepsake. VIP was allowed onto the grounds up to an hour early, but no tastings were allowed until the start of the event (basically a skip-the-line deal). The General Admission line snaked around the pier in the hot sun, but people looked happy to be coming in. The festival was arranged around the beach with brewery tents interspersed with food, merchandise, and information booths. All ticket tiers got a wristband with 10 tickets to try 10 beers, more tokens could be purchased for $2 each, again with all proceeds going to charity. Food was unlimited, which means it went fast! All the volunteers were extremely friendly and having a great time interacting with the crowd. It was very crowded, but easy to walk around without feeling cramped. The main stage at the end of the pier had live musical acts and the Trash Fashion Show among other draws. Restrooms and portapotties were everywhere, so that was less of a worry than I thought beforehand. It was fun talking to random people, trying new beers from new breweries, and munching on delicious local foods. For anyone that can, be sure to attend this festival. Organization is second to none! Mahalo to the organizers for providing the homebrew judges with discounted passes!

This was a well-organized, albeit crowded event - I totally understand its popularity: what's not…read moreto love? 30 plus brewers from across the US pouring their best brews, unlimited food samples from dozens of vendors across the island, and to top it off, it all takes place at a picturesque setting right on the water in Kailua-Kona Town, on the lawn of the King Kamehameha Hotel. Online ticket sales sold within 15 minutes and I ended up having to go to Kona Brewery's location in Hawaii Kai (Oahu) to purchase our tickets the same afternoon. I'm glad I did because they sold out completely later that evening! Upon arriving at the event, there was a long line extending across the pier to enter the grounds of the event. Thankfully, the line moved swiftly and we collected our souvenir tasting mug and fork/spoon for tasting. The event aimed to be 100% eco-friendly, thus the reusable utensil, mug and food was being served on either ti leaves or compostable plates/bowls. Brewers' tents and food tents were scattered throughout the grounds with an impressive array of food and drink to last FOUR HOURS! I could barely stand by the end of the event! By the time the last couple of hours of the event rolled around just a couple of the most popular brews were tapped out and several food vendors were down to their last, although by this time I think everyone was stuffed to the gills and drink tickets were waning. The wristband you are given upon entry had 10 tasting tickets, once those were exhausted and you still want to drink more? Tasting tokens were being sold for $2 each. This year, Sig Zane designed the logo for the festival and I thought I'd wait til later to purchase a shirt to commemorate the event, which turned out to be a bad idea! The popular sizes and colors sold out quick, so no t-shirt for me to wear once and shove in the depths of my drawer forever. Hm... that's actually a great thing! I'm already stoked for next year!