Chill vibe next to the sea. Service was great and speedy. Food was so good for breakfast!

Had high expectations based upon reviews. My family and I were hugely disappointed with our first and only experience at Lava Java this afternoon. My son ordered a cheese burger (with ketchup only) and fries, my husband order ribs, and I ordered the fish & chips. The burger was served slathered in "ailo" (mayo) . Instead of correcting the order when I reminded the waiter that the burger was it ketchup only, the waiter said, "Try it, he may like it.", and refused to correct the order all together. So we used all the napkins to wipe of as much of the mayo as we could. The burger its self was still horrible. Tasted as if it had been frozen forever, over cooked, and then re-heated in the microwave. Extremely salty. Inedible. The ribs and fish were saltier than the ocean. Steak fries weren't bad. So thats about all that we ate. Margarita was lousy. Took a sip, and couldn't drink it it was so sour. I asked for a little juice to add to it, but the waiter took the drink back and served me a Mai Tai instead (Which I appreciated.). The view of the ocean was great though. read more

Woke up starving and needed to find something convenient, nearby, quick, and with quality coffee and food options. I walked to this cute restaurant from our condo, and at first google took me to the wrong building but the nice man who I spoke with on the phone directed me right to it. It's literally on the main road and you can't miss it if by car! It's super cute open air concept with direct views to the ocean. Beautiful spot for a morning cup of Joe or a whole meal with the fam. I ordered the breakfast sandwich with all the garden greens added in. The croissant was delicious (not the ones from Costco), the egg cooked just right, the cheese melted out the sides, and the arugula and avo fresh and tasteful. I also had the berry smoothie which in my opinion was in a really small cup and I felt like I got half a smoothie for $8. Wish I had of seen the cup sizes before ordering. I walked up to the "to-go" counter and ordered off their kiosk: it was easy enough. And the food took 8 mins to get, so it was fast. I would return here over and over for the view and because the atmosphere is calm and relaxing. read more

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

Jeff, I know as the business owner you might want to know that Hannah was not giving us the normal good customer service like she has over the last 10 years. Retraining might be in order. Frustrating to say the least, as she asked how was my veggie omelette that she recommended ? MY reply was, should there be goat cheese inside the veggie omelette? Her reply was, "yes" so, I unfolded the omelette and there was a small smear of white goat cheese. My reply was "Oh" would have been nice to have a little more than a smear. Her immediate reply was " YOU SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR MORE GOAT CHEESE WHEN YOU ORDERED" Then my reply was "what, I should have asked about how many ounces of goat cheese are going to be in my veggie omelette when ordering" her reply " Yeah". So, with that exchange, I immediately cancelled my business meal with others on OpenTable for tonight at 6:15pm (see picture) and will take a hiatus from dinning at your establishment. I been to Kona for WORK 6 times in the last 45 days, not smart move for Hannah today hurts your bottom line, not mine. Dumbfounding ! read more

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

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Macadamia nut crusted mahi mahi was wonderful but a little too sweet and sour for me but partner loved it. Mai Tai was good Sorry no pictures. read more

Good burger and on front street. Open air with good people watching and ocean across the street. Delicious fries!

We picked this place for brunch based on Yelp reviews and it did not disappoint! Fast service, food and drinks are delicious. And they look so beautiful read more

Island Lava Java - Fresh juice mimosa. - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

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Excellent food, service, and wait staff. They use the QR code system for ordering and paying right at the table, and a friendly waiter delivers it. Super easy and efficient!! read more

Wonderful food for breakfast and happy hour appetizers. We went several times during our stay trying different things. I highly recommend the French toast with pineapple, coconut, shrimp and blackened what shrimp tostada. read more

We came here twice during our vacation. Once for breakfast at the beginning of our trip and the second was for dinner at the end of our trip. We ate breakfast at their old location. We were walking by and thought it would be nice to sit at an open air area with a nice view and they had live entertainment. It was perfect! My Sweetie had the Kahlua Pork omelette with brown rice. He really liked his breakfast and ate every bit of it. I had a couple of their sides: half a papaya and 2 eggs over easy. I love how the papaya was simply plated. My eggs over easy were so perfectly cooked. I also had their unsweetened ginger tea. The service was quick and excellent. They just moved to a new location on Wednesday, May 10th right next door into a bigger place. We decided to have dinner there the next day to try them out. The decor is cute! They have their pastries counter just like their old location. They have a bar area with seating all around it. Unfortunately at the time, they were still in the process of getting their liquor license. They still had a few kinks to work out but overall we had a good dinner. When you walk up the few steps to get to the restaurant, there is a basket of menus. You grab what you need and seat yourself, which is nice. We chose a table right along the edge. We showed up at 4:00 PM but dinner didn't start until 5:00 PM. We ordered some drinks and enjoyed the sunshine and the view. They didn't mind we waited. My Sweetie had the pork chops dinner which came with mashed potatoes and some type of jalapeno corn. I had a bite of his pork chops and it was so tender and flavorful. He raved about everything else on his plate too. I had the Guava Braised Ribs on top of brown rice topped with a mango slaw. It was delicious!! The sauce and a sense of sweetness and tartness to it. The mango slaw worked very well together. I would never have thought of topping my ribs with it. We then had the Passionfruit Merigue Torte for dessert. My Sweetie and I were very full at that point but the dessert was so delicious we couldn't stop eating it. It had an addicting factor to it. The service was excellent!! The staff is friendly and attentive. You can't miss this place. It's right in the center of Ali'i Drive across the street from the water. I recommend giving them a try. read more

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I got the standard breakfast of all breakfast places, an egg omelet. It was probably the best one I had during the whole visit to the island where the breakfast food was pretty disappointing overall. Four stars though because I also got the Belgian waffle which ended up being sad and floppy. read more

Super rude staff, no knowledge of the menu. Waitress said the kid pizza wasn't available until 3pm, I used the QR code and ordered it at 11:30am, arrived at our table within 2 minutes. Very unpleasant experience. read more

This used to be one of my favorites! I enjoyed bringing small group tours here at least twice for dinner on every trip. The food was good and the service was too. I'm sorry to say I won't be back. My guy and I gave it a try tonight and back in August on a romantic island hop alone. Not only was the service poor but the food wasn't good either. The ono was dry in the fish n' chips on both visits and my previous favorite dish, Mac nut crusted fresh catch, was over cooked with mushy rice and little flavor. I miss the old Island Lava Java in Kona. read more

Good spot for a boardwalk place but nothing special. The guava ribs were the best thing. The curry had no taste

Definitely one of the best places to have breakfast in kona, the best customer service and the incredible ocean view!!!

Good coffee, limited menu but food is delicious and fresh. We enjoy this place whenever we are in town.

My wife and I had a mid-afternoon dinner here (to avoid crowds). The online ordering system works well and our server was responsive and friendly. I had the Catch of the Day Fish & Chips, choosing the offer of a side salad instead of fries. The beer battered fish was VERY fresh and the portion size was large. My wife's Hawaiian Pizza was extremely good and the beet appetizer-sized salad was ample, with lots of tender beets, fresh greens, goat cheese, and walnuts (I had some too). Very nice drinks as well (a mai tai and a Negroni plus a wonderful iced tea). Leftovers will be enough for lunch tomorrow too. read more

Love this place. Food is excellent and (I feel) a notch above all other waterfont restaurants. You are across the street so not directly on water but "front line" tables are great anyhow. The staff is very nice. Also, came twice for breakfast on weekends at 9am - busy but we snagged a table almost right away! read more

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

BREAKFASTs here are generally good. We tried this place for dinner last Saturday. We were seated immediately as the restaurant was not crowded at 4 pm. We ordered the huli wings as an appetizer to share. They were good. My wife ordered the macadamia crusted mahi, and I ordered the mahi in coconut curry sauce. The huli wings were good, but midway through eating them, our entrees were brought out. My negative review is based primarily on the poor quality of these pricey entrees. The 4 oz crusted mahi portion was dry and overcooked. It was accompanied by about half a pound of white rice and 3 spears of overcooked asparagus. My curry entree was also about 4 oz of broiled fish, dry and overcooked. The "Curry" sauce consisted of about a tablespoon each of bottled Sweet Chilli Sauce from costco and an unidentifiable thick withish fluid, mechanically mixed on the bottom of the plate. Eight untrimmed snow peapods sat under another half pound of white rice. This dish was so unlike another curry sauce dish that I have been served that I asked the waitress to make sure she had brought out the right dish. Her response was to bring me two additional ramekins of Chilli Sauce and whitish thick fluid. We both should have returned the entrees and ordered burgers. My wife intensely dislikes any kind of confrontation. Both entrees were carelessly prepared. I think that we deserved better for almost $40 each. Stick with breakfasts and burgers here. read more

Came here for breakfast. Prices are a little expensive, (even for Hawaii) but the food was delicious. A lot fresher than most American breakfasts, and it felt great after eating heavy on this trip. I would recommend getting fruit over meat if you can. read more

Mahi mahi was good and the owner/manager offered to adjust the spice/flavoring. Five stars because the people were nice, the coffee and tea were good and the food was fresh. They also seated us a bit before our scheduled reservation. I'd go again! read more

Definitely a 5 star restaurant with amazing food and views! Price is on the higher end! But food was delicious! We ordered the fish Benedict with mahi mahi! Coffee is also locally sourced! read more

We only had breakfast here but it has a great location and a great breakfast. It is one of the places across the street from the water and the service was also very good. Will be back on the next visit to Kona. read more

We ordered takeout and enjoyed our meal from the lanai at our rental. I was impressed by how fast our food was ready! Well before the quoted time. The service was friendly! I absolutely LOVED the hollandaise! It was perfectly creamy, yet light. The pancakes were fluffy, golden, and perfectly cooked. read more

The view is great so I wasn't expecting much from the food...boy was I wrong! The fresh fish eggs bennedict was out of this world! My server, Tawni, was soooo sweet and quick! Thank you for a great breakfast:) read more

Came for brunch on several days while visiting the island. The food was very good. I recommend the Down in the Garden croissant sandwich. The bacon here is amazing, especially the candied version in the Bloody Mary. If you like a good bloody that's not too thick and a touch spicy then this is your spot. Comes with a black salt rim, slice of jalapeño and a piece of brown candied bacon. I went with the house vodka but I would splurge for Tito's next time. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is that I came to get a to go order and sat down to have a Bloody Mary while waiting and it came out without bacon a jalapeño or salt. When I asked I was told they didn't have it? Then I find out the bartender isn't the regular person and she admitted she didn't know where it all was. Okay, but why didn't she ask someone? I didn't even drink it because it had too much well vodka and it was too strong. Other than that, service was great and the location is perfect with free parking in back. read more

My favorite place to have breakfast on the Big Island! I had the most delicious french toast on my most recent visit. Do not miss if you are staying in Kona! read more

We were seated quickly, ordered drinks and pupus using the QR code at the table. Drinks were meh, I ordered specialty mai tai and it just tasted like watered down fruit punch. We had fries and calamari, the calamari was bland and soggy rather than crispy and I was sick within 20 minutes of leaving the restaurant. When we were about done, a waiter approached and apologized that the waiter assigned to our table had left without knowing we were even there. We were confused since we ordered and had food delivered- now realizing that no one ever asked how we were doing or checked on us. 2 stars for location and quick service but I will never come back- lots of good places at same price point in the same area- all have great views of the ocean and won't make you ill. read more

Lots of people, food and drinks were served quick. Our meal had actually egg shells in the eggs (you can see in the picture to the left). When we told the waitress, she didn't do anything, she just replied, "I will let the chef know." The bacon is very good! read more

Island Lava Java - Island Eggs Benedict w/ Egg Shells - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

Amazing restaurant all around. Are upstairs and had an amazing view of the ocean (need to cut down the power lines but hey, not much you can do about that). Great happy hour specials, great food, and great service. If you want a good happy hour/dinner stop, go to Lava Java. read more

Island Lava Java - BBQ Ribs with mashed potatoes - American Near Me - Kailua Kona, Hawaii

This place is great for breakfast or dinner. Dined there while on vacation and had great experience both visits! Food was delicious and fresh! read more

Great Food and Great View. I had the Pancakes and they were awesome.. need more butter and syrup but they did bring it once I asked. The Coffee is STRONG!!!!! whoa... Price was very reasonable and you should enjoy this place too. read more

Great location and excellent breakfast. Never disappoints. Only dings are lack of decaf coffee and birds eating off of unbused tables.

The mahi mahi special/fresh fish of the day was very fishy. It couldnt have been fresh. The service and rest of the entres were excellent.

This manager was so nice to squeeze us in for last minute breakfast, which was delicious! The POG mimosa, waffle island style (bananas, Mac nuts, coconut syrup) were yummy! The view and service...all 5 ! read more

Breakfast was delicious. Loved the view from the tables as well as the live music. I got the Lava Java Pancake Breakfast. The pancakes were yummy and the fruit was super fresh and ripe. The potatoes are very herby and taste mostly of oregano. Not my fave but the rest of the table really enjoyed them. The only reason I'm knocking off a star is because it's a little overpriced and there really aren't many options for vegans. Only thing vegans can have are potatoes, toast and fruit. Update...the owner messaged me and advised that if you want vegan options, just let your server know! read more

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

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We had breakfast here a day ago and it was fantastic to say the least. I had the Big Kahuna with Mahi Mahi as the meat and was super surprised at how tasty the whole breakfast was. I have never even thought of fish for breakfast and am so glad I tried it. The view was also incredible so we were very happy with the experience eating here. We have other couples joining us for a few weeks and will definitely bring them here. And remember you are on vacation so don't be in a big hurry. Enjoy the experience and don't dwell on time. The staff was polite and working their asses off to accommodate all the tourists. Please try this restaurant for real " Island " food experience. Mahalo read more

Smaller venue but a really good spot. We went fir brunch and the food was really good but their coffees were amazing. Highly recommend this place! read more

We went here during Breakfast. Overall everything in the place is amazing, including the scenery, food, service, and the menu. -Scenery- The scenery of Lava Java is amazing, it gives you a wide look of the ocean, the restaurant is not directly on the ocean, it is across the street from the ocean, but you still get a. Good view. -Food- The breakfast that is got was the Pancakes, it was decently good but the only problem I had is they were kinda hard. But it did not effect the taste. My dad got the Waffles (Photo Below). He could not fully eat them. They were very thick waffles. There portions of there meals are pretty good! The kids come pretty small which is expected. The adults meals a huge, making sure they are full. -Service- The service at Lava Java is amazing, normally there is a wait to sit down, but if you have a reservation they will sit you down pretty much immediately. -Menu- The menu is pretty decent, they have a kids menu for anyone 12 and under, but they don't mind if your over it and ordering from it. Everything else is for adults. -Overall- This place is somewhere I would highly suggest to go and visit during a trip here. Make a reservation to get in quicker! Then enjoy the amazing view! read more

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

Incredible view, great food, amazing cocktails. Would definitely recommend the POG Mimosa! Service was very very slow..but it's island time ;P read more

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