Came here with friends and hubby for a late-ish dinner. Tired and hungry. Our waitress Jane recommended the BBQ ribs with the lilikoi BBQ sauce. They have a widely varied and extensive menu, so we were having a hard time choosing until she mentioned those ribs. All 4 of us ended up getting them! You get a choice of two sides, and we all got different sides. I got Cajun fries (yum) and sautéed veggies which included zucchini, yellow squash and broccoli. Soooooo Ono! Finger-licking good and messy but so succulent and very meaty. Amazing dinner... capped off with lilikoi cheesecake. Light and pillowy, not heavy like regular cheesecake can feel. Beautiful presentations and 4 happy customers! read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - Baby back ribs with lilikoi BBQ sauce, sautéed veggies and Cajun fries! Also came with a tiny sampling of Cole slaw. - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

See all

Nice location near the lake and inside the mall. The food is delicious and the drinks are pretty good. We had 4 people in our party and were seated right away. The service is great. read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - Margarita - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

We had a wonderful dinner tonight at Foster's Kitchen. The food was fantastic, and our server Tyler was great. We will definitely be back. The menu had lots of options, and the drink menu was really impressive. read more

Food is good and service is great! We also enjoyed the view from the back patio which was nice and quiet. It even rained while we were there and stayed dry from the umbrellas. We tried the ahi stir fry and shrimp and grits. They were both good and the grits weren't super rich like they are in the south. The portions were pretty big so we had leftovers. read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - Pahoa- spicy lava flow - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

We had lunch at Foster's Kitchen 2 days in a row. Both meals were great! Fish tacos and Thai Chicken salad. Both meals were very fresh tasting. Service was friendly and attentive. Highly recommend. read more

We were seated quickly then sat for about five minutes without anyone coming to offer a menu or water or drinks. We ordered our drinks and entrees at the same time, the drinks were out in about ten minutes and the entrees were brought out right after (2) Stuffed Chicken (1) Steak House Pasta (1) Sirloin Steak I was on alert when we received our food so quickly (maybe 10-12 minutes)... they say it is "From Scratch" and "Fresh Farm to Table" and that simply cannot be true. The Stuffed Chicken had the most bizarre chewy texture, it had to have been microwaved, the mushrooms must be canned, and the gravy had to have been made with a dehydrated packet with water. The Steak House Pasta went down the best. The Sirloin Steak was ordered medium rare (maybe a mistake given the cut) it tasted slightly old and unseasoned-super chewy. DO NOT RECOMMEND. I don't know how they have 3.5 stars on Yelp and 4 on Google. read more

This place is excellent. Food sourced locally and everything is made from scratch. We like this so much we went back a second time. The cost was very reasonable, much cheaper than our resort read more

No one asked anyone in our party once how any of our courses or plates were--and I suspect it was because they knew the answer... Cue Robert Irvine. To start, the calamari appetizer isn't fried, which might not be a problem if it didn't resemble rubber french fries flavored with fish tank. The other food was largely what you might expect from a high school cafeteria but without the chocolate milk to erase the experience. "Edible." Yes, I guess if someone has thought to ask how the food was I might have said, "edible." For the price it should have at least been "fine" or even "good." (Well, for the price, it should have been great, but I'm not deluded about tourist spots in the mall.) Additionally, 2 of our dinner guests had major elements of their meals missing from their plates. They didn't want to "make it a big deal" so they didn't say anything, but when asked how theirs was they came clean.. (Essentially they got plates of lettuce for $25) Turns out the staff had deliberately served us those plates without major element and with no acknowledgment or explanation of the situation. What the heck?? Upon everyone discovering the scheme (which was to cover up the fact that they supposedly had gotten burned), there was still no apology for the issue whatsoever. . . We were casually offered to have some of the things we had purchased brought over--irrelevant at the end of the meal--which wasn't much of a consolation at that point. Not a minute later they were as cold as the plate they were sitting on, adding insult to injury. This place has a seriously bad ethos. read more

Thought this was a good choice in the $$ category. We went twice on our trip and had great service and food both times. One of our severs, Julian, was especially friendly and service oriented. We went to the Kailua location also and didn't find the food there as good as Waikoloa. Location is walkable to a lot of hotels and condos and the inside is airy and bright, with a couple patios also. Had the fish tacos one night and the Ahi Stir Fry, both were excellent. Mixed drink menu is good and some fun choices on there, the Fosters Mule was refreshing and the Margarita good too. Thought it was a good value spot for this area which is full of pricey dining. read more

Went with a party of 6. Sat pretty quick. Waiter was a little over sat but food came out quick and service was top notch! Price wasn't too bad either considering it's next to a resort/vacation spot. read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - Dessert - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

Terrific service and delicious food! Our group of 22 had an incredible evening due to the outstanding service we received. Highly recommend! read more

Great place with really friendly staff. Prices are reasonable and on par with general island prices. This is a great place for vegetarian options and for young kids. We definitely will be stopping back if we get time and need a meal. read more

Stopped by on a quiet Monday morning when they opened at 11 o'clock. We were seated promptly and had great service. My daughter got the burger with a side of fruit and I had the Szechuan salad with seared Aji tuna. The Arnold Palmer 's are delicious and so is the food. Highly recommend! read more

Definitely something off in the kitchen today. Ordered a bigger order of 6 items to-go over the phone. After arriving, I had to wait an additional 20 minutes before receiving my food. I was handed my food and was informed that no disposable utensils were available. I asked the server how I was expected to eat my food and then they responded they would ask the restaurant next door for utensils. Maybe they assumed I lived nearby, but as a visitor I definitely don't have any utensils easily accessible. We at at a table in the Kings Shops plaza. Fortunately we were eating close by so I was able to run back for all the items I was missing. The garlic bread accompanying the pasta was missing, salad was missing the dressing, and the grits were missing the fried egg. I ran back to get my items and then we were able to eat our food. Our past, fries, and shrimp were terribly salty. We had enough trouble with the utensil and missing items that it just wasn't worth going back again to remedy the salty situation. read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - Super salty shrimp vs regular shrimp - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

See all

Great menu, food, at a reasonable price Had lunch, came back the same day for dinner. Compared to the mediocre overpriced fair at the Hilton Resort, this place was outstanding Recommend anything with the blackened shrimp is not going to disappoint. read more

I had low expectations based on the fact that the nearby restaurants had 45 min waits and this one had plenty of open tables... We waited a very long time for our food (longer than the usual "Hawaiian time"). Apparently our food waited for us too as the mashed potatoes were ice cold upon arrival. My daughters couldn't even drink 2 sips of their $6 lemonades and my husbands medium-rare steak did not have a speck of pink in it (completely well done) On a positive, they had a decent beer selection. read more

I read the mixed reviews for this place and lowered my expectations. This place didn't just fail to meet my lowered expectations, they barely managed to deliver edible food. Order was takeout with 30 minute time frame. I arrived after about 25 minutes and the food was sitting in containers under a warming light. Things went downhill from there. Our order was 4 entrees: Cheddar burger - ordered medium well and was charred black in the bottom. The bun was burnt, yet somehow soggy and squished. BBQ chicken sandwich - pretty sure it was about 1/4 of a chicken breast, again burned on the bottom and overcooked. Bacon was super fatty and chewy. Asked for no onions. There were onions. Bun burnt, squished and soggy. Mac and cheese and garlic bread - the kid said, why would I want to eat tasteless Mac and burnt garlic bread. He's got a point. BBQ ribs and chicken - tiny piece of chicken, burnt and dry. Ribs were ok. Mashed potatoes looked like they had been sitting under a warmer for hours and were dry and unappealing. Side of fruit couldn't have been fresh. At the least, never order takeout from this place. At best, be ready for a disappointing experience. For the price this place was the biggest rip off on the island, so far. read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - Garlic bread - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

See all

Good food. Friendly staff. My son has Celiac Disease and they have a dedicated fryer for their fries and fish & chips. My son ordered a salad twice, once it came with a fried cheese ball, and once it came with a slice of bread. We asked both salads to be remade, and they were, no problem. Will go here again, when we come back read more

We read the reviews and decided to test it out. It was quite the experience. Our food was mid. It wasn't the best thing ever but it wasn't the worst thing ever. The atmosphere was casual and calm. Our waiter though. That was the worst and most interesting part. Whenever he came over, he seemed a bit off. My party and I chose to ignore this. But the poor man could not hear a lick. We kept having to repeat ourselves when the room wasn't loud at all. We were also seated by a banister. The waiter decided instead of walking around to the table he would pass our food (condiments, drinks, appetizers, main course, etc) down to us from the stairs/elevated walkway. It was really shocking because now none of us have seen the is kind of behaviour exhibited in a restaurant before. read more

Really nice waiter and waitress we had two because one was training. Be patience they are busy in the kitchen. So don't be in a hurry just enjoy the island life and relax. read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - Pepperoni flat breas - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

See all

Great lunch spot, we went twice! They have several vegetarian options. The soup comes with a nice grilled cheese with onions, quite filling. They can substitute a beyond burger, but their vegetarian sandwich was nice without any patty at all. Their pizzas are tasty as well, however aren't really flatbreads. The base is more like focaccia. There was no wait during our visit. Nice outdoor seating area. Good cocktail list. It did take some time for the food to come out to us. Slightly pricey, but expected for Hawaii. read more

See all

Food: sub par, either the cooks overcooked it or the waiter let it sit. It took them 15 min for our drinks, 50min for our food and it was the right order but the quality was not at all up to a resort standard. Maybe just above Denny's level. Service: we've had better service at a biker bar on a Friday night with a full moon on payday. The waiter took our order than came back 15min later and verified our order w his handheld point of sale. Not a good sign. My family and I have been visiting the big island for over 15yrs. It's not the first rodeo and I know what to expect. They left us hanging. I'm sure they are trying but it's not up to par for the Big Island. This is my First NEGATIVE REVIEW of any kind. read more

Unfortunately this place was awful. From service, ambiance and food Saw a cockroach (huge), we killed and manager did not even bother to apologize Food was salty My kids didn't like food Drinks were horrible Skip this place read more

A few days late in posting this review. We visited here on our trip to Big Island, were looking for late lunch options and went here. The time shown on google was not updated and they had a note outside saying they open at 3pm. We had reached at 2:50 pm so we were in luck. We wanted to double check the timings so we partially opened the door to ask if they were open, and a lady staff sent us back outside to wait. We waited and in few minutes we noticed our phones were dead which wasnt a great thing when you are driving around as tourists. It was 2:58pm so we tried to talk to them again to ask if they have charging ports in the restaurant. This time the lady was a bit rude plus seems there were no charging ports and so we thought let's be a little patient and wait for the food rather. At 3pm we entered with other parties who had just arrived and were seated instantly. We spoke to the person at their bar and he was kind enough to charge our phone at the port inside the bar for us. The indoors were quite spacious, and there was a nice view of a human made lake from the back of some building. We ordered a few items which arrived within 20 minutes of ordering. The staff helping us at the table were nice and receptive and checked on us many times. Below my ratings: Unfortunately the food we ordered was not tasty. Flatbread pizza: rating 1/5 very thick layer of cheese and was spread with a sweet-sour spread all over the bread, which made it impossible for me to take a second bite. Chicken entree: rating 3/5 This dish was still edible, but was so greasy, you can even see the oil in the pictures. The oil itself was not fun to taste unlike some other greases like butter or olive oil which I do not mind once in a while when I am indulging myself. The mashed potatoes were just okay and the side of veggies needed to cook for just another minute and of course be less greasy. The chicken was just okay too - didnt feel any freshness in the meat or soft/juicy texture that I look for in poultry. But yes thank god this was edible enough that we didnt abandon the dish! FSOJ : rating 3/5 It had a flavor of some staleness, or rather it reminded me of the stone apple fruit drink from my region in India - if one mixed that with FSOJ probably this is what it will come out tasting as, not something I am looking for when I just want a squeezed orange drink :) read more

See all

We decided to try this place for a late lunch. We were greeted by a man who was cordial, but not overly friendly. He did seat us near the window without us having to ask. That was a plus! Our waitress was very friendly though and accommodating. Ambience: Decent. Nothing too fancy or memorable except for the view of the man made lake. Food: Mediocre. Mashed potatoes were dry (please pass the water!). The chicken sandwich was about 2 oz of meat (and we were starving!). The grilled fish was just the right amount if you're feeding a 5 year old. The loin steak was good and about the size you'd get for that price. The ribs were dry and overdone. They do have competitive pricing, but the portions are small and they need a new chef. Ugh. read more

We are celebrating our 25th anniversary with a trip to the Big Island and are truly enjoying the islands vibrant dining scene. One of the restaurants we chose was Fosters Kitchen in Waikoloa. We enjoyed it so much we ate there twice! Here's why: nice variety of menu choices, great location with outside seating, clean restaurant including restrooms. But most importantly, without a doubt, is the awesome staff; from the hostess, to the servers to the manager to the cooks. Everyone was working so hard and at speed; admirable stamina. We'd especially like to recognize our server Mark for his friendliness, kindness and positive personality. He went out of his way to really make our evening something to remember! From twins to twin... Mahalo read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

My family and I were impressed with some of the food items but then underwhelmed by others. Reaching them through the phone to book a reservation for 8-10 people was kind of difficult, but they were very accommodating after getting a hold of them. read more

We have visited Fosters a couple times and had excellent food. However, we visited today for my husband's birthday and we were disappointed. However, let me say up-front, our waitress, Lisa S., was EXCELLENT. We arrived at 4:00 for an early dinner. They were out of ribs. The stuffed chicken was OK but nothing to rave about. The garlic mashed potatoes were cold when served to us, and the broccoli was a bit dried out. The ladies bathroom had toilet paper all over the floor. We had a window seat by the water but the windows were covered with handprints so it was hard to see out. All-in-all, not a good visit and we can't recommend Fosters. read more

Food was bad. Service was terrible. Seems like they are understaffed. Ordered fish tacos. Never had a fish taco before that had no salsa, no jalapeños, nothing spicy. Worse it was cold by the time I got it. Earlier tried to get bruschetta appetizer but they were out. Ordered the chicken wings instead which were OK but the gorgonzola dressing was tasteless. read more

We visited Hawaii for entire 2 weeks in April and though it's been months, this review was I draft and I cannot go without posting before the year ends. We enjoyed this amazing restaurant TWICE while visiting. We came to Hawaii with 10 of our friends for our wedding and this place came to serve! It was the first weekend that Hawaii had conditionally reopened to the mainland states for tourism, so it was busy. We tried multiples of options that were full capacity, but this restaurant opened up a closed area for us as it was the last option other than fast food. We landed an incredible server, unfortunately cannot remember her name. But she was so great, we requested her for the next day with all 10 friends added to the party (first was just with us two). Second night partaking at this restaurant was on the patio, and it was a brisk night. But all in all, it was a great experience both times and the food was fresh and well-priced. Drinks were nicely done, thought timely wait each round but worth it. I 100% recommend this scratch kitchen--great food, awesome service, and a great Aloha atmosphere! Mahalo, until next time! read more

This seems to be a very nice place. We all stopped for lunch. Service was slow and the food was moderately warm when it arrived at the table. The calamari looked good. Average visit this time around. read more

Fantastic food! Fantastic service! Fantastic experience! Greeted with a warm welcome as if they were expecting us. Food was fresh and hot and fast. Added an order of Cajun fries (amazing) after our main courses already arrived and it was out within minutes. Gumbo was the best we ever had. Loved the fresh unbreaded calamari. Shrimp on grits was delicious (ordered with less heat for our timid diner) and still delicious! Would dine here again! To note there is another location in Kona, as well as the Big Kahuna Beach Grill and all are good. read more

A menu with a good variety of dishes so there's something for everyone! Here's what I got: - Dragonfruit salad: a summer special! Comes with grilled chicken breast, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onions, feta cheese, balsamic vinaigrette and dragonfruit dressing. It was also supposed to come with fresh dragonfruit but maybe they ran out/forgot? It was a decent salad; I liked the dragonfruit dressing but the balsamic overpowered everything. 2.5/5 - Lychee martini ($10.5 w/ happy hour): Happy hour is 3-5 and 9-close and it's $2 off alcohol. Yummy & well balanced drink; 5/5 - Lilikoi cheesecake & lava cake ($8 & $12): The cheesecake was light and fluffy and the lava cake had lots of chocolate lava! Delicious 5/5 The interior was cute! Open and white wood detailing Service was good. read more

See all

We came here because Lava Lava had a 2 hour wait. They had a half hour wait but had the option to eat at the bar. We ended up waiting for about 10 minutes for a couple of seats at the bar. Our bartender was very nice but seemed a little overwhelmed by the pace of orders. We both ordered traditional margaritas which were made well - not quite as well as I do it :). For dinner we ordered the Country Fried Chicken and a Caesar to share. It was plenty for us. Neither one of us is a big eater. We ate everything. The chicken was tasty. The Caesar was average at best. This was my first time here. I liked it. I will be back on my next visit to Waikaloa. read more

Fresh calamari, Cajun fries are awesome as are the fish tacos. Right in Kings Mall a little gem here on Kona Island. Try the fried green tomatoes. read more

See all

First time coming here, food was really great! I got a small chicken Caesar salad with grilled chicken and the calamari appetizer. The appetizer was amazing 10/10 but my salad I would give closer to a 6/10, there was not much dressing on it and the chicken it came with was pretty dry. Generally I'd recommend this place and come back again, I'd probably try something new though! read more

Well there is an unfortunate part to this review...no pics! Food was just too good. This isn't our first time coming here as we came last year as well when on vacation. It doesn't get too busy so getting a reservation or just walking up without a reservation isn't a big deal at all. So you wanna know why it gets a 5 star review? The main reason is the quality of food and seafood. I am NOT a fan of Seafood but yet I will come here and order the fish tacos (delicious) or the seared Szechwan ahi stir try which I tried for the first time tonight and it was amazing. Our server was awesome and our food came out fast. Will def come back again for sure this has become a regular spot on our yearly Hawaii trip. Also our bill was extremely reasonable. If you disagree with me for any reason I will fight you! Jk we are all entitled to our own opinions Well apparently I reviewed this place last year but nothings changed! Still a great spot! Mahalo read more

I have to say, I was impressed with the large selection of food offerings that their menu offered. It almost made it hard to decide on what to eat at times. I actually dinned their multiple times during my visit and did try various options on their menu which were all very good. This is another place in the area that is very busy due to limited dinning options, so reservations are highly recommended. I was eating solo, so I was able to eat at the bar comfortably and received pretty good service there. however, the food delivery was inconstant and sometimes seemed slow or to fast at times between courses. The place is great for families or groups. There are various seating options both inside and out. Despite the busyness, it wasn't to noisy. Like I said before, I ate at the bar and happy with my dinning experiences each time. My only slight dissatisfaction was it seemed like the hosts at the front door seem very disorganized and didn't seem to know what was going on at times. read more

See all

This place was super friendly with kids. We came here super hungry. The down side was they didn't have bread to offer as soon as we sat down. I asked for the kids and they said place your order and it will come out quick. The food came out in 15 mins. Kids got little fussy. However, the food was fresh and delicious. Kids did finish their food. Adults food was also delicious and cooked well. We had a super Friendly waiter who smiled the whole time and asked frequently if we needed anything read more

Foster's Kitchen Waikoloa - Delicious pasta for vegetarians and delicious mango margaritas - American Near Me - Waikoloa, Hawaii

We had an early dinner here (no reservation, and we were seated right away). From the minute we asked in until we left, the service was incredible! Rose was our server and immediately informed us of the happy hour specials ($2 off all drinks - including my iced tea! - and $2 off all apps). The lemonade is house-made and so tart and tasty! We started with the hush puppies- haven't had them since we were in Florida... really good, but the butter spread seemed separated. The other sauce was like a buffalo tartar sauce- a little strange, but still tasty. My daughter had the buffalo chicken sandwich and she inhaled it- looks incredible! And I had the veggie sandwich (I'm vegetarian and this is a very meat- centric southern cooking type restaurant, but this sandwich was DELICIOUS!). Highly recommend both! I had the Cajun fries and they were nicely spiced.... Preferred the regular fries. Not only that, we were seated at a table right by the windows overlooking the beautiful lake (outside seating is also available with lake view). We were stuffed! Highly recommend for excellent overall dining experience! Ps would be great for kiddos, too- they have a great keiki menu! read more

See all