The show was amazing! Good vibes, good food, great host/dancers/musicians. Being born and raised in…read morethe islands, it was so special to be engulfed in my culture and to experience the gratefulness of watching how we still speak through HULA, SONG, AND DANCE. Island Breeze never fails to put on a show! Little tip for those visiting the islands and choose to go to a Lū'au, please get hype! Show some love and attention to the dancers, musicians, and host! We adore sharing our culture with those who are visiting, but you also should get excited about learning it as well it's a rich heritage!

The whole experience was outstanding! Food and entertainment were great! All associates were nice,…read morein the reach and helpful. Rows of different kind of food for any taste and preferences. Loa Luau was performed by great performers accompanied by life music. They told Hawaiian story in Loa Lu'au, amazing! Lay is a souvenir of the night. Will recommend friends! If we are back, definitely will come back for the experience!!

We brought our party of 23 to dinner last week and had an absolute blast! From the storytelling to…read morethe food to the sunset to the live music, it was an absolutely incredible experience for our group (ages 1 to 67) We will definitely be back in a couple of years!

This was our second time attending the Paniolo BBQ dinner, this time with our family group of 18…read more It was fantastic as usual! The view from the top of the mountain is incredible! The historical storytelling, the gracious staff, the food, all just wonderful!! I highly recommend attending!!

Very pricey but a trip isn't complete unless you've consider a luau. I booked it since the luau…read morewas held on the premises of our resort where we stayed. The big draw was the fire show which originated in Samoa. The first three rows are premium seating. We sat in row 2 by the stage. The venue is very small so all seats would have sufficed. There was a woman blocking my view of the stage. So much for premier seating. Although premier seating included a fresh orchid lei and a box of shortbread cookies from Big Island Candies of Hilo. And first in line to the buffet dinner. There's an open bar. I had a red wine which I didn't care for as the wine sat out in the Hawaiian heat. There's spirits, mixed drinks, sodas, and mocktails available. The luau - the Kalua pig is cooked in an imu onsite. You can watch the pig being unearthed at the luau. If you've never seen it done, it's a very authentic experience. There was a live band followed by the hula show. The show represented the Polynesian islands. It concluded with the fire show which was the highlight. Next time we'll sit in the general seating area since it's a small venue located at the Marriott.

Went for the Luau. Stayed at a near by resort. The Luau was priced on average with the others in…read morethe area. The advantage was it was on Sunday, which was our only chance for everyone to attend. The food was par and the entertainment fantastic. They even hung around after for pictures with everyone. Definitely family (kid) friendly atmosphere.

I'm sure there are many professional luaus that visitors can attend when visiting the Hawaiian…read moreislands, but the Legends of Hawaii Luau was one of the best that my wife and I have ever attended. We paid a few dollars more for the premium seating and I feel it was well worth the money. Sitting closer to the stage and also having the additional amenities that come with that premium entrance really made the experience more meaningful. Everything about this spectacular luau was just that, spectacular! The entertainment was superb! The four piece band which played beautiful Hawaiian music during dinner were very talented and sounded wonderful. The gentleman who served as master of ceremonies, Hoku, brought a level of insight and history to the music and dances. All of the dancers, both men and women were extraordinarily talented and you really felt like you were catching a glimpse into the historic Hawaiian experience. The highlight of the evening was the world class fire dancer at the end of the performance. It seemed to be, that the money I spent on this evening was well worth it if just to see him perform. It is something I will never forget! I highly endorse this outing and there is nothing negative that I can say about it.

I had high hopes because this was my first luau. I was really disappointed with the food. It was…read moremade out to be Hawaiian but was nothing more than cheap buffet food. It was all you could eat and drink but about 50 drinks were on a table as you walk in so the first 50 people got watered down frozen drinks that were already short on alcohol. The people that followed them had to line up at the bar where there was 1 bartender for the crowd. The buffet started out with a spring mix salad poured right from the bag. Then a basic macaroni salad with some pineapple in it. Then came fish steaks which were floating in some liquid but flavorless and dry. Next was brisket that was not bad but it had not been trimmed and was floating on bbq sauce. The most disappointing item, besides the desserts, was the "kalua" pork. It was just baked and overly shredded pork butt. If you have been to a cheap Chinese buffet you have seen the dessert selection we had at the luau. Little square pieces of flavorless cake and donut holes with sugar. The only Chinese desert they were missing was the bananas with red stuff on them. The show was not bad and the fire dance was interesting but if you are looking for a luau I would look anywhere else.

Would you pay $99 for AYCE prime rib dinner for two? Yes, but how about if you had to attend a…read moretimeshare sales presentation? 48 Hilton guests took the $99 offer, and came up a packed bus 20 miles from Hilton Waikoloa Village. Gathered in a large dining room sitting around six tables to hear the host give a long talk on the cultural history of the Ranch. Everyone attentive until the singer started playing Hawaiian songs, at which point everyone started talking to the others around the table. Had to talk really loud to be heard across the large table, due to the large amount of background noise. Dinner buffet self serve by table in multiple courses, including unlimited wine and lemonade. Fabulous mixed salad, so good that everyone finished their salad, even those that don't like vegetables. Main course included broccoli, potatoes, fish, and prime rib. I got a double portion of prime rib, while everyone else got a 12 oz to start off with. Thought the outside portion was way too salty and tough. Not for someone to chew with a temporary crown. Center portion was tender and juicy. Threw out a good portion of the outside and fat and gristle. Meal topped off with a dessert of cheesecake covered with sweet mango sauce. Met the host outside. Turned out we were both UC Berkeley graduates, me of class of 1975, and he of class of 1963. Oh, by the way line outside the mens bathroom, as the urinal was out of order. Those people who didn't show up for the Hilton timeshare presentation would be assessed the full $390 price of the event for two!

Fabulous opportunity to come up to Anna Ranch for a dinner with Chef Ipi via a special weekly…read morecultural event managed by the Hilton Grand Vacation folks. We were treated to oral history of the area, music, and an impromptu Hula. Truly honored to be part of this event. Oh, the food? Locally made ricotta in a crostini, mixed green salad with toasted sesame dressing, local shrimp, beef, zucchini, potatoes, and a lava cake with strawberry ice cream.

We had an excellent experience at Seafood Bar & Grill in Kamuela, and Casey made our anniversary…read moredinner especially enjoyable. She brought great energy and was professional, friendly, engaging, and genuinely enjoyable to talk with. My wife ordered the baked oysters without realizing they weren't smoked and did not like the dish (I loved it). Casey graciously removed them from our bill, which we truly appreciated. Even without that kind gesture, her service was exceptional. I ordered the black bean seafood combo, and my wife had the red Thai seafood curry. Both dishes were extremely flavorful and delicious. We highly recommend this restaurant, and be sure to ask for Casey!

The Absolute Best Meal on the Island--A Masterclass in Food & Service!…read moreIf I could give Seafood Bar & Grill 10 stars, I would. This wasn't just a dinner; it was our absolute favorite meal of the entire trip. We didn't even have a special occasion to celebrate--we just had a phenomenal experience here in the past and couldn't wait to return. They somehow managed to exceed every expectation. From the second we walked in, we were blown away. We loved the Tiki Bar, everyone is family when you walk in, history covering the walls ambiafamily-friendly; ev Seafood We were greeted by Dave Yurtin, the owner, who set up a fabulous table for us inside. But here is the kicker: Dave actually remembered us from our first visit two years ago! Talk about a total legend. We couldn't believe his memory--that is next-level hospitality. Our server, Ryan, provided spectacular, world-class service. He didn't write a single part of our big order down and got absolutely everything 100% right. He was attentive, fast, and incredibly sharp--he even remembered at the end that my mother-in-law had asked for onion rings once she was finished, before changing her mind. Incredible! Now, let's talk about the food and drinks because WOW. We started with the drinks, and these were hands-down the absolute best Mai Tais we have had on the island. Every single dish that hit the table was a home run: - Escargot: Wow, wow, wow, wow! Absolutely phenomenal. The pesto and cheese with the garlic bread? Unreal. - Seafood Quesadilla & Coconut Shrimp: Perfectly executed and delicious. - Braised Short Ribs: Out of this world. Fall-off-the-bone tender. - Pineapple Macnut Slaw: Insane flavor. Do not skip this! - Garlic Bread: Spectacular and perfect for soaking up every last bit of flavor. - Fish Linguine: A rich, perfectly balanced cream sauce packed with different types of fresh fish. Somehow, we saved room for dessert and tried FOUR different ones: the Key Lime Pie was unbelievable, the Lilikoi Pie and Kona Coffee Pie were spectacular, and the NY Cheesecake with Lilikoi Sauce was the perfect grand finale. Between Dave's legendary memory, Ryan's flawless service, and a kitchen that doesn't miss, Seafood Bar & Grill is an absolute must-visit. We will be talking about this meal until our next visit! Thank you for an unforgettable night!

Celebrated a milestone anniversary here a few nights ago at Brown's Beach House at the Fairmont…read moreOrchid with my husband and two kids while staying in Waikoloa (at another resort, shhhhh!). It was EXCELLENT all around! I would give it more than 5 stars if I could! We were seated near the edge because we had made a reservation to time with the sunset. The ambiance was perfect, especially with the live music. Our servers, Cyrus and Rhey, were top notch! They really went out of their way to make sure we were well taken care of. We were served complimentary ube dinner rolls which were unusual and so ono (Hawaiian for delicious!). The onion/honey butter was the perfect accompaniment spread for the rolls. Rhey even got us a copy of the recipe since we couldn't stop raving about the rolls! My husband and son had the filet mignon and really enjoyed it. My daughter had the mahi mahi and ate every bite - which is saying a lot for my picky eater! I had the rib eye which was definitely a splurge but oh-so-worth-it. It was fun to have the blow torch melt the herbed butter! We also added a couple of sides: lobster fried rice (yum!) and broccolini (also good but not super special - however it was good to get some greens!). Our food was served and then it was time for the sunset so we ran to get pictures and our servers readily accommodated our requests to take our photos. I wish I had requested the food to be served AFTER the sunset but didn't think about it at the time. Fortunately everything was still delicious even if it wasn't piping hot by the time we sat down to finish it. After the amazing meal, we were treated to a complimentary "secret menu" item - a mud pie for dessert! We thought we were too full for dessert so declined ordering something off the menu, but somehow we all made room for this free mud pie! Yum! Highly recommend this restaurant for a special occasion. They validate parking so don't forget to bring in your ticket to save $12! Although next time I might even consider staying at the hotel (Fairmont Orchid in Waikoloa on the Big Island) - it looked so elegant!

We really wanted to have a great experience at Brown's Beach House. We stay at Fairmont properties…read morewhenever we can, so we had high expectations for a restaurant at the Fairmont Orchid. Unfortunately, the experience felt a little short of what we normally expect from a Fairmont. There were definitely some highlights. The warm ube dinner rolls with butter and local honey were delicious. The octopus was also really good, although we wished there was more of it. The scallops were cooked and beautifully charred, but unfortunately were a little too salty. The Poisson Cru was where we were most disappointed. Being part Tahitian and having spent time in Tahiti, Mo'orea, and Bora Bora, we know what Poisson Cru should taste like. This version was far too cooked and was missing the bright citrus and fresh flavor that makes the dish so special. The addition of sweet potato chips also felt unnecessary and distracted from the dish. The Mahi Mahi was another disappointment. It was overcooked and, especially at this price point of $75, just felt mediocre. We were honestly surprised because this is a dish that should be a standout at a restaurant in Hawai'i. Our server, Bruce, was friendly and pleasant. While there were some opportunities for a higher level of service, we also understand that service can vary from night to night. One of the highlights of the evening was Rommel, who was helping with water and bussing. He was very attentive, efficient, and genuinely showed Aloha. He noticed the little things, checked on us regularly, and even brought us extra ube rolls to take home. We appreciated the extra effort and ended up tipping him separately. He was a great part of our experience. The ambiance is quiet and beautiful, which can be nice for a relaxed dinner, although the music felt a little too slow and subdued for us. We also had an unusual issue with the landscaping. Many small palm fronds kept falling onto our table and into our food, and there were quite a few little bugs flying around our faces and food throughout dinner. Not exactly what you expect from a high-end beachfront dining experience. We also learned that the restaurant stopped offering the Kamaʻāina discount about three months ago. Bruce did offer to comp the Poisson Cru, which we appreciated and thought was a nice gesture. Overall, Brown's Beach House has a beautiful setting and some genuinely good elements, but the food and overall experience did not quite hit the level we expected from a Fairmont property. We would come back for the sunset and the setting, and hopefully have a stronger dining experience next time. And if you're there, say hello to Rommel. He brought some genuine Aloha to our evening, and that stood out.

What an incredible experience!!…read more Came here with family and had Gabby as our server, she was wonderful. I enjoyed everything, from the drinks to the appetizers to the dessert. We started with the Mai tai flight, ahi poke and tako escargot. All were so good, would definitely order again. For entrees we ordered a mix of the spicy lobster ravioli, chateaubriand, and ahi katsu. I love that they allow you to combine two entrees, even if it's for a slight upcharge. Everything was great. No complaints at all. Portion sizing was perfect too, with the addition of the appetizers. For dessert we opted for the pineapple bread pudding which was delicious as well. Perfect with the ice cream. We definitely would've come back if we had more time or if we were in the area. Good idea to make reservations in advance.

Our waiter did a wonderful job reciting each dish, all sounding irresistible. Unfortunately,…read moresomehow, the elements on the plate didn't quite live up to our expectations, nor did they melt in harmony. Each dish seemed to stand apart from one another. The appetizers were yummy. We started with the Tako "Escargot" and a half portion of the Spicy Lobster Ravioli. The ravioli was phenomenal; I regret not ordering the full size entree. The complimentary bread is excellent as well. For the entrees, we got the Lamb Chops and Half/Half of the Curried Hamakua Macadamia Nut Fish and Roasted Chateaubriand. The fish and chateaubriand were ok. I personally preferred the fish over the chateaubriand. I liked the curry/coconut flavor of the sauce, but my friend thought it was a bit bland. My friend liked the chateaubriand over the fish. I thought it was good, but nothing stood out especially given what the price was on it. The lamb chops were the real disappointment. I asked for a medium-rare cook, but some parts of the lamb chop were blue. I loved the Passion Fruit Mousse for dessert. The tartness of the passion fruit is brought out in this dish but not overly tart. The texture of the mousse was very fluffy and nice as well. Considering Merriman's was going to be THE fine dining experience during our stay in Hawaii, the entrees were not it. I'm glad they use organic produce, fresh fish, organically green cows, etc. but their execution as a farm-to-table restaurant needs work. I could not really taste the benefits of a farm-to-table restaurant in any of their entrees and was especially disappointed being served nearly inedible lamb chops. Decor is nice; the place has a calm and inviting atmosphere. Staff is very friendly as well.