My husband had the catch of the day Benedict and I had the drag through the garden sandwich. Both were great. A bit pricey but you get an awesome view and service was great and everyone was friendly. read more

Fantastic breakfast (pineapple upside down french toast), bloody mary and friendly good service. Great ocean view.

Unimpressive meal overall but gets you through. Nothing stands out about this meal. Pancakes were underwhelming and sausage was small portions. read more

Great view! We went for an early breakfast and had a wonderful meal overlooking the ocean. The pancakes island style are yum. We liked it so much we went for brunch the next day. Only minor complaint is the wobbly tables, but that's an easy fix. Good food and good service. read more

Island Lava Java - Pancakes island style. - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Great location for sunset viewing, but as a food place expect a general experience. When asked about their vegetable soup, he waitress (Tammy) gave the description of a minestrone soup and then we got a chilli con carne sort of thing, the beet salad was okay, the burger average. The lime cheesecake with mango was decent. We had the feeling they were understaffed (it took a long while to get their attention and the place was around 1/3 to 1/2 capacity). Ah, the tipping... They calculate on the check pre tax - so do expect the surprise when you press on the 20% to end up with a higher number. A really unnecessary greedy move - esp in light of the low-cost service! read more

Came in yesterday for dinner after reading the good reviews. The food was below average. We ordered macadamia nut crusted ono, Alii chicken sandwich, and big island pizza. Everything tasted very bland and not fresh. The ono is definitely frozen from a bag. Price is high given the food isn't freshly. Left unsatisfied. read more

I don't get the 4 and 5 star reviews. Usually I'd expect excellent food and excellent service for a 5 star, this place is 'meh' and definitely didn't deliver. I ordered the sesame seared Ahi, my companions ordered a Big Island pizza. We had bean and sausage soup and wings for appetizers. Pizza was greasy and nothing to right home about. The sweet chili sauce was a bit too cloyingly sweet. The wings were good, but the slaw it came with tasted bland. The soup, though good, was indistinguishable from chili. The ahi was the biggest disappointment for me. It came on a pile of potatoes, and those were swimming in a sauce that was like a thin broth. The sauce wasn't particularly tasty (and too liquid anyway). The horseradish mashed potatoes were too overwhelmingly like horseradish and tasted like they might have been instant (grainy). The Ahi was fine, but tasted like it wasn't 100% fresh and the sear was tasteless. The service was passable, but the wait staff did seem rushed for the most part. Friendly, but not particularly attentive. I'd give them a 4. read more

Food is ok and over priced, service reeks of attitude and disrespect. Sh*t workers who only care about tips and have no aloha. After, writing this review I read other reviews and a lot of people say bad service. read more

We have been here 3-4 times and it is always amazing. This last time all of the restaurants were packed for some reason and after waiting 45 minutes for a burger that never came somewhere else, we decided to bail and go to Lava Java. Despite the line, they had us in and sat within 15 minutes. They also had our food out not long after. It is great that such a staple restaurant can still have great service when everywhere else is slow or lacking in hospitality. read more

Always a favorite place for us and even though it's been particularly busy this weekend, we just had to 'pop by' for a drink. We sat at the bar. I wanted to try something new but I don't like rum....it doesn't like me either! Josh was very accommodating and made be the PURPLE HAWAIIAN using coconut infused vodka instead of the rum. I have a NEW Favorite drink! We also enjoyed the best Pepperoni Pizza and a Bloody Mary with that Candied Bacon. Wonderful Experience! Thanks again Josh for being so kind and helpful to us, even in the midst of your very full bar and busy restaurant . It was fun to watch you and see how masterfully you took care of everyone of your customers!! Mahalo Nui! read more

This restaurant came highly recommended by our uber driver for breakfast. It was recently renovated and it looks great. The restaurant had a busy vibe inside and on the porch. We were seated and greeted by our server immediately. The breakfast menu is small enough that we quickly decided what to order. Their drink menu is pretty extensive though, making it a little mire complicated. The Island Style waffles and Luau Omelette with portugese sausage were incredibly delicious and the portion was just right. The prices are pretty reasonable and inexpensive. The only thing that was odd is that our order and payment was taken on an ipad so it took longer than it should have. It was also awkward to calculate and add the tip while your server hovers over you, talk about major pressure to do mental math. Overall, it was a great experience. read more

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We ate here for breakfast and dinner during our stay on the Big Island and they were both amazing meals! Service is quick and friendly and the food was excellent. I got the pork pizza and it was amazing! Would highly recommend. It's a good idea to get reservations since its limited capacity due to covid. read more

Food options were unique and provided a good calm environment to have a cute little brunch or dinner.

Terrible service. I was seated and ignored, definitely cater more to the tourist crowd. Which is absolutely sad. I've been coming to lava Java for years and have noticed a dramatic decline in the service since covid. AVOID IF YOU ARE A LOCAL! This is a haole establishment. read more

We went to Island Lava Java to have a late breakfast because this place is recommended in a travel guidebook. This place is right next to the ocean so the bonus you get for eating there is the ocean view, especially on a sunny day. Waitresses seem pretty laid-back and friendly. Free street parking is difficult to find, so we had to park at a paid lot. When we got there, we didn't know if we should follow the instruction to just grab the menu and sit at any seat we liked (this is very laid-back) or if we should wait for someone to get us a table (this is what I am used to). Originally I wanted to sit at the only table that looked clean and provided a good view of the ocean, but when we were deciding if we should really occupy that table, one waitress came out with utensils and led a group of people that came after us to that only clean table. Because of this, we were even more confused if we should let the waitress know first we were here. After seating that group of people, the waitress saw us and asked if we had been served. We said no, so she just told us to sit anywhere. I told her there was no clean table, so she had to clean one table out for us before we could sit down to order. The beginning experience at this place was a bit confusing, but later everything was good. Soon another waitress came to take our order. Because it was a late breakfast and I was pretty hungry, I ordered Luau Omelette. It was filled with roasted Kalua pork and grilled pineapple, and it came with rustic potatoes and Portuguese sausage. When my food came, I was surprised, because my omelet was huge! (I usually eat a lot, but I couldn't finish this.) The pork and grilled pineapples were very tasty, and I liked it very much. The potatoes and sausages were good, but my sausages were a little burnt. However, it was just a minor thing. I enjoyed my omelet greatly that I didn't care much my sausages were a little burnt. Summing up the environment, ocean view, friendliness of waitresses, and the taste of the food I ordered, this place earned 5 stars from me. I would recommend Island Lava Java to people who want to eat at a laid-back environment and to have a great breakfast to start their day! read more

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Asked for the eggs Benedict sans croissant and with crispier potatoes underneath..it was hot and delicious when put in front of me...highly recommend this place. Iced tea delicious with friendly waitress refills! Sitting watching the waves break and people watching out front was fun too! read more

Island Lava Java - View from our seats this morning! - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

We stopped here before making our way to the south point from Waikoloa Village. It's got nice seating both inside and outside, service is quick and easy and the food is decent. I got the Lava Java Breakfast with eggs, Portuguese sausage and one big fluffy waffle Husband got the Wait'I'O Breakfast with a side of Potatoes (he could've skipped that since the portions are big!) The iced coffee was delicious, I like mine super sweet so I got it with macadamia nut syrup but they charged an extra $1.50 on top of the coffee. Overall, the food came super quick, service was good & it kept us full literally all day until dinner time but expect to pay a bit more than most places. If you're planning to go hit up the south side or the volcanoes, stop here and have a big breakfast to last you but if you're price conscious and grabbing breakfast for a bigger party, keep looking around for cheaper options. read more

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Terrible Fires.. I mean just awful fries.. Maybe a blessing as I don't need the calories. Food was hit and miss depending on who ordered what in our party of 6. Just not worth spending money here. read more

Delicious food, reasonably priced, and great service. Happy hour all night long upstairs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Most reviews and photos were breakfast/brunch, so we weren't quite sure how the dinner would be. Well, it was great!! The Portuguese sausage "local style" fresh fish was amazing!!! read more

Island Lava Java - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Loved the view, fast service and amazing pancakes. While vacationing in Kona, we are here twice, which was a perfect place for us. The Big Catch Breakfast was a perfect start to my mornings. The view of the ocean was a stunning backdrop to eat our breakfast. read more

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We went there Sunday morning and the host said there was a 20 minutes wait. The host was nice. We waited then got a table. The couple came after us got served before us and no one come to sever us for another ten minutes. We just wasted about 35 minutes there then we left to another place. While waiting there there are still many other table available. read more

If you're vegan, you can order the black bean tacos with no cheese. Otherwise there's a hummus plate or a beet salad. So 3 options available. That's a start Ok. So this was a very disappointing meal. The tacos come with no sauce. I first asked for salsa. They came back with pico de Gallo that's already on the tacos. But give it no flavor. Then I asked for Tabasco. That did nothing. Finally I tried Bbq sauce. That made it not so dry and definitely more yummy. I was considering getting some food Togo to take back to the hotel but after the blandness of the meal I reconsidered read more

Horrible experience! I just left this place. Checked the menu it says that they offer Mediterranean Octopus at market price, asked how much is the octopus today and what is the origin of it. Got an answer from the server that today it is at $18 and most likely it is local. She took the order, 10 minutes later she informed me that the octopus is from Spain, I said that it's okay. 15 minutes later she brought a plate with burned octopus tentacle , on the side is was a potato salad. I tried the octopus, it was a burned canned octopus from Costco, tasted as rubber. These people are buying a canned fully cooked octopus at Costco, than grill it. Whoever run the kitchen has no clue what are cooking is. Oops, almost forgot about the cherry on the top: the potato salad that been served with the octopus was completely rotten. Shame on you guys! Avoid this place unless you would like to get a fresh salmonella virus! Location is questionable, tons of homeless people. read more

Island Lava Java - Prices are acceptable for the tourist trap - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Great spot for a nice little coffee place. If you like people watching and the ocean this is the place for you. We stopped by for a few drinks and an app and we enjoyed our time here. Great happy hour selection and draughts! Certainly need to have some coffee or a drink here during your visit to Kona! read more

The food was pretty good for both breakfast and dinner. Good breakfast service, slower than average dinner service. Great views and great ambiance. read more

Great food! Huge portions. Great breakfasts, pizza, and ham and bean soup. Split an entree, so you have room for dessert!

Always a good eat and beverage. Great happy hour and dog friendly! The staff is great, keep it up. Mahalo

The speciality coffees were very good. Everyone enjoyed breakfast especially housemade items like bakery, pancakes and waffles. View is amazing but road noise can be distracting at times. Would definitely go again! read more

Food was meh. The veggie frittata was inedible and tasted like it had gone bad and they wouldn't even take it off the bill. They would only take 50pct off food we didn't even eat- we paid $8 for rotten food. Worst experience. It wasn't just us- we were told there were issues with this entree for others. read more

Recently attended for breakfast Ocean view restaurant with solid service, food was pretty good and a plus it has the cleanest bathroom I've seen of any restaurant on the island I ordered the kona coffee which came in a gigantic mug which I was thrilled about, tried the plain pancakes which were great and lox and bagel's which had tons of capers which I love - I was between a 4-5 stars for the restaurant and the giant coffee cups put it over the edge Price point is pretty reasonable in comparison to other breakfast spots on Ali'i read more

The food is ok. The poor service more than negates that fact. Would not recommend eating here.

My wife and I loved this place. We love the view of the ocean and the food was great. Try the island eggs Benedict. So yummy! read more

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We spent 6 days in Kona and ate here 4 times. It's a bit pricey, but no more so than any place would be in this area, and the food is actually worth it. I particularly loved the house salad (amazing dressing) with a generous portion of fresh, perfectly grilled fish. My boyfriend's fav was the veggie sandwich - he said their homemade bread was outstanding. (Pro tip: try the sweet potato fries with their garlic aioli. So good!) We also split a tasty pizza here. For cocktails, I'd only give it 3 stars -- there are definitely better options around town for that. But all in all, we really enjoyed our meals here, and the service was great too! read more

Island Lava Java - Island Lava Java salad with fresh, perfectly grilled fish - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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Got the pancakes "Island style" (macadamia nuts, bananas and coconut syrup). It was delicious! Eating outside on the porch right across the street from the ocean was great. I would eat here again. read more

Island Lava Java - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

We sat right in front overlooking the ocean. The host was really friendly and explained they were a little busy but we only waited a few minutes. The coffee came fast, it was great and in a big mug and they had stevia which is a big plus for me. I ordered the bagel & lox and the BF ordered the big kahuna fish breakfast. The presentation was lovely. The cream cheese on my bagel was a bit runny & melty but it tasted good. The bf's fish looked great and he really enjoyed it. read more

Island Lava Java - Bagel & lox - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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I was welcomed very kindly , had a great breeze and view of the ocean , food was amazing , dessert was even better , staff was awesome and helpful, all around great experience! read more

Probably the most obvious pre-prepared pre-packaged meal aimed towards tourists just happy to be eating outdoors with a beautiful view that I've ever had in my entire life. Only good things were the cheap happy hour drinks and fries. Salad, rib salsa, and cole slaw were definitely sitting around in bags, the kids burger looked like overcooked beyond burgers, and the catch of the day was from a day 2 days ago. I may be mistaken that the catch was fresh but the cook may have left it on for those 2 days. Reminded me of the lava fields we just drove by in terms of moistness. Would NEVER recommend this place to anyone I thought well of. No idea how it got 4 stars to begin with....I should have gotten a premonition from the waitress's indifferent attitude, maybe she was signaling that I we should have walked out based on bad service before we got hit with the bill. Someone please call Gordon Ramsey, Robert Irvine, the assistant manager at Denny's or whoever they call now when a restaurant needs to be rescued. read more

I stayed in Kona for 5 nights and had breakfast here 3 times! The Kona coffee is delicious, and everything we've had on the breakfast menu has been scrumptious. My favorites were (again) the COFFEE, the BANANA MACADAMIA PANCAKES with coconut syrup, and the CINNAMON PULLAPART BREAD from the Pastry Window which was just so fluffy and delicious with an amazing sauce. They will heat it up for you if you ask! I do have one complaint, though. Why is this amazing cinnamon pull-apart bread not called CINNAMON EXPLOSION!? It is legitimately shaped like an erupting volcano (with the frosting being the lava)! What a missed opportunity. Just kidding. I miss you already, Island Lava Java! read more

Had the poki and it was so good we had to save some for lunch the next day which was just as good! Lovely views of the ocean.

Excellent view, great food, delicious coffee. No need to bore you with more, stop looking, go here.