Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Ka Lihikai

    3.9 (44 reviews)
    Open 6:30 am - 9:00 pm

    Ka Lihikai Photos

    KA LIHIKAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Romantic
    Live music

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Ka Lihikai

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    The bar
    Eve R.

    Wanted something light and some fries so I ordered a Caesar salad and some fries. The fries I crave every day now think about them all the time if you get anything from here get the fries! Also I went back recently to order the Caesar salad and they said they took it off the menu and replaced it and I am so distraught. That was a top 3 best salad I've ever had pleaseeee bring it back and I'll change my review to 5 start. Also the staff is so friendly I love chatting with them all!

    Buffalo chicken wings and pesto pasta
    Roshan R.

    Great setting, underwhelming food & drinks The location is beautiful--right on the water--with friendly, fast service. Unfortunately, the food and drinks missed the mark. The Mai Tai tasted very watered down. Buffalo wings used good-quality meat but were coated in an extremely salty sauce; the fries were similarly inedible from salt. The pesto pasta was decent, but without a protein option it felt heavy--nothing to balance the sauce. Bottom line: Gorgeous waterfront vibes and kind staff, but the execution on cocktails and seasoning needs work.

    Salad + Shrimp
    Ryan G.

    Perched right on the water on the ground level of the Grand Naniloa, Ka Lihikai impressed during each meal. The servers, hosts, hostesses and bar tenders were all very friendly. The food was much much than when I stayed in the past. We tried versus items at different times and everything was cooked perfectly. The happy hour clams are delicious. The fisherman's stew was the highlight of dinner but everything hit perfectly. Not too expensive compared to many other Hawaii eateries. Definitely be back again.

    Short rib kimchi loco moco over fried rice
    Sara B.

    The food tasted great. I loved the outside seating overlooking Hilo Bay. The service was great because the people we interacted with were super nice! The issue was it took a while to get water and put in our order. The food took a little longer than expected but in the end, we will definitely come back.

    mo'o mojito
    Kathleen R.

    Cool oceanside bar located downstairs in the Naniloa hotel next to the pool. Nice service. One of the best frozen Mojitos ever! We did a take out breakfast of eggs, bacon, toast and rice which was a good breakfast. The weather was gray and rainy as is pretty common for Hilo.

    Loco Moco - well prepared, large portion.
    Kelvin Y.

    We decided to have lunch here because the lunch offerings looked good. We also noticed that Kalihkai's keiki (kids) menu is especially good. The keiki food was well prepared, portions were generous and there are healthy options. We enjoyed the salad with Mahi Mahi and Bao with mushrooms. Great views as usual. Service was friendly this afternoon.

    Ube waffles with a disrespectful amount of ube sauce. Dont call those ube waffles, please.

    Just moved to this side of island. Thought I'd try this place for breakfast. It's a bit pricey, but it's in a hotel, so there's that. I had the one waffles and a side of eggs, coffee. Service was decent, nice local kids working there. The ube waffles were ok. Hardly any ube sauce though. I asked for more so it was no problem. Wait, I feel like there was supposed to be Mac nuts on the waffles too and there weren't. Maybe I misread the menu though. They have complimentary coffee, and no flavored creamer(I need my coffee to taste like Disneyland) so don't pay the 6$ for their served coffee. And...maybe don't order 7$ eggs on the side. They were cooked just right, but damn 7$. It is a Hilton hotel, so who knows if that's what ups the price.

    Dinner menu
    Eddie R.

    I ordered the fish and chips today and was able to take advantage of the resort's food credit if you charge the order in the room. It hit the spot for the dinner and getting ready for the following day! I took it out for dinner in the room for a relaxed experience.

    Kalbi Beef plate

    Food and service, plus the view is always great! Can't get enough of that Kalbi plate!

    Corn beef Dish & Kimchi Fried Rice
    Mai L.

    Corn beef is the best I have eaten. Food with ocean view, relaxing music is speechless.

    Fruit Platter with banana bread
    Sham L.

    The food taste so good! The atmosphere is Beautiful! The service is outstanding! Loco Moco was the best I ever had. The Kalihikai Restaurant is Outstanding!!!

    Pineapple burger
    Heather K.

    We were staying at the Hilo Hawaiian hotel and were extremely disappointed with every aspect of it. We decided to walk on over to the Hilton hotel and eat at Ka Lihikai because it had good reviews. When we entered, we were blown away and heartbroken to see what we could have been staying in. We like resort vibes and everything about this place was giving off those vibes. We were kicking ourselves for not booking here. Anyways, we ate dinner here and it was very tasty. We had the burger and tacos. Our waiter was very attentive and quick about bringing us our food and drinks. We enjoyed eating our food with this gorgeous view and we were close to the pool. If we come back to Hilo, we will be staying here! Definitely stay here and eat here!

    Ahi Poke
    Brenda K.

    Went for brunch my sister had the tacos and I, the poke nachos. Our highlight were the yummy Bloody Marys! Not just celery... I added the shrimp, bacon, olives and a lemon and lime wedge. The servers were very pleasant and efficient. Didn't have to wait long. Sitting poolside with lovely views of Hamakua coast, portion of upper Hilo and Hilo Bay is so nice and relaxing! Will be back!

    Avocado toast

    See all

    2 years ago

    Great food and service. Emma was our waitress and she was great. Come here you won't be disappointed.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Ka Lihikai

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    Margarita Village - Mozzy

    Margarita Village

    4.2(15 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    5 stars for mozzarella sticks in a hurry. When the craving kicks in & they can get it out to you in…read more3 min and in a to go box $10 for 12 of them

    Margarita Village LLC was totally not what I was expecting. I figured my boyfriend and I would walk…read morein to a Jimmy Buffet feeling type bar, but were instead walked in to a dive bar! Granted, the outside looks a little rough. There's mostly neon signs looking out at you from the dark inside. When you walk in, you'll notice the floors are concrete and that there are pool tables. Walking in, it seemed like the place has seen better days. However, looking at everyone in the bar, they all seemed like someone you could easily strike up a conversation with. My boyfriend and I were mostly looking forward to trying a margarita. We both ended up with a POG margarita. If you're unfamiliar with what POG juice is, it is Pineapple, Orange, and Guava juices mixed together. While the margarita was very strong, overall it was a delicious drink! We even got to try Lihing mui powder. If you go, look it up and ask for a glass rimmed with it! There is no air conditioning within the bar but we'd been there after sunset and didn't really feel hot. The bartender Kya? Kia? was so wonderful! After checking out the reviews, I did see some negative Nancy's on the platform talking about how this felt like a 'locals only' place. When I walked in, I made sure to strike up conversation with Kya and asked how her day was. Everyone on the island realizes you are probably vacationing. I was treated so wonderfully and Kya even gave me a recommendation for a hike in the national park. Be so kind to people and you will always make a friend! If dive bars are your thing, definitely check out Margarita Village! The margs are plenty!

    Photos
    Margarita Village
    Margarita Village - Dozen Mozzarella sticks

    Dozen Mozzarella sticks

    Margarita Village

    See all

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Dynamite fish bowl

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine

    4.3(2.6k reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    TIKI DAVE of TIKI DAVE TRAVEL / TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS highly recommends PINEAPPLES!…read more There is a reason this place has such great reviews. You definitely want to make a reservation in advance, especially if there are cruise ships in port. Otherwise, you're going to wait in line. I would say that the very best thing on the menu is the Teriyaki Flank Steak Appetizer ($19)....this thing is SICK. We ordered the appetizer and it is the most unique Teriyaki steak I have ever had. The teriyaki sauce is rich and just amazing. Just order it. I am still craving it. We also ordered the Lilikoi Hoisin wings and SON OF TIKI DAVE ordered the Lemon Macadamia Chicken ($28) which was delicious, too. They have a full bar and the Mai Tais are awesome. We ordered a couple a piece. Ambience and service is great. And with your receipt, you get at 10% discount at Wilson's Shave Ice across the street. TIKI DAVE from TIKI DAVE'S TERRIFIC TRIPS absolutely loves PINEAPPLES! I will be making a video of my experience so...and here it is! https://youtu.be/yVi4ZEcMw3g?is=0GTf-vESLcn0BX0_ Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/@TIKIDAVETRAVEL And follow! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565274777775&mibextid=ZbWKwL https://www.instagram.com/tikidavetravel/?__d=1%2F%3Fhidemenu%3Dtrue

    A mix of locals and tourists, this establishment had a little bit of everything. A $10 onion soup,…read morewhich was delicious. A tuna tower, a bit lackluster in flavor. A "dynamite fishbowl", that my daughter and husband loved!! The fish and chips of the day was marlin. It was very flavorful, but very dry. And the real reason for the four stars was because we ordered the poke bowl appetizer along with a soda and beer. The appetizer was delivered. And later our 4 meal items, but the beverages never arrived. The staff is very friendly, thank you Sandy for making our visit fun. We'd definitely give this restaurant another go!!

    Photos
    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Bar with loads of fresh pineapples

    Bar with loads of fresh pineapples

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Hilo Local Plate

    Hilo Local Plate

    Pineapples Island Fresh Cuisine - Dr. Pepper

    See all

    Dr. Pepper

    The Hidden Nene

    The Hidden Nene

    4.6(140 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    I had The Hidden Nene bookmarked when I was planning out my trip to Hilo and I couldn't be happier…read morewith my experience at the speakeasy. My wife and I stopped by for pre-dinner drinks and we absolutely loved the drinks that we were able to try out. I started out with a cocktail called the "Spam Dram", a crispy Spam fat-washed barrel-proof bourbon, combined with seared Spam and nori syrup and topped off with a spam musubi garnish. As one might guess, this drink was presented in a spam musubi tin, and atop the bed of crushed ice was an *entire* spam musubi. The drink was a perfect representation of spam musubi in a glass -- sweet, savory, and full of umami. Props to whichever bartender put together this creative drink. The next drink I ordered was the "Smoky Bear", another bourbon based cocktail. This one had bird's eye chili essence in it, and was much closer than your traditional Old Fashioned, except it had an incredible amount of smokiness and a punch of heat to it as well. If you enjoy stiff drinks with complexity, look no further than this cocktail. While we were seated at the bar, we overheard somebody close to us mentioning a password special that had been posted on the Instagram page of The Hidden Nene. We checked their latest story posted two hours earlier and the password special for the day was a "fizz me baby one more time", a strawberry and yuzu gin fizz. My wife ordered this cocktail as her second drink and loved how refreshing the drink tasted. Overall, if you consider yourself a cocktail connoisseur, you owe it to yourself to check out The Hidden Nene if you're in Hilo.

    The coastal town of Hilo hides the fantastic speakeasy, The Hidden Nēnē. Head down the stairs by…read morethe green door, and it becomes less hidden, and you can see the sign for the basement level bar. The underground space is low green lighting, a long bar, and green velvet bar chairs. We went during the day, so they were not busy, and were able to sit at the bar. The service was quick, relaxed, and friendly. The cocktails are upscale priced, but well made. They do offer a full food menu, we did not order any food on our visit.

    Photos
    The Hidden Nene - A full bar

    A full bar

    The Hidden Nene - Caviar on salmon blini.

    Caviar on salmon blini.

    The Hidden Nene - Spam Dram and Advice

    See all

    Spam Dram and Advice

    Moon & Turtle - Marlin with vegetable and kalo succotash

    Moon & Turtle

    4.6(875 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $$

    Quaint local restaurant that has a creative menu with a personal flare of the Owner chef. Staff is…read morevery knowledgeable about their menu and makes excellent recommendations. My husband and I sat at the bar and enjoyed the excellent company of our bartender server who gave excellent descriptions of the menu items ...making our mouth water before we even ordered our dinner. At Her recommendation, we enjoyed the ricotta gnocchi's As our shared starter and the pan seared local Opah fish dish which was amazing.. Reservations are highly recommend as this is a locals favorite... so tables fill quickly.. and you don't want to miss this exquisite restaurant in service and food quality!

    I usually avoid writing reviews for heavily reviewed businesses, but I'm making an exception for…read morethis one as it was the best eatery my wife and I visited during our nearly week long honeymoon on the Big Island split between Hilo and Kona. We ordered the risotto, fresh catch (marlin), crispy rice, gnocchi, and finished off with the mac nut ganache mascarpone pots de crème. We did share a Lemon peel lemonade cocktail. The Lemon peel lemonade was basically spiked lemonade. Well balanced for being a tart oriented drink, but I didn't care for the floating bits. The risotto which comes in full and half order, was very rich and had chunks of mushrooms for flavor. We're glad we got the half as this was a heavy, rich, and cheesy entrée on its own. If you love risotto, you will love this dish. The marlin was perfectly cooked and balanced out with a locally inspired vegetable succotash. Fried bits of kalo were also added in for added texture. The special and new item, the gnocchi was the star of the show. This is by far the fluffiest gnocchi we've ever had. Crispy on the outside, little potato clouds of fluff on the inside. The gnocchi came over a tasty sauce with bits of fried onion for absolute perfection. The crisp rice was recommended by Yelpers and it was alright, crispy rice with a spoon of poke. Not bad, but did not live up to the hype. Get another order of the gnocchi instead. It's fairly rare to see pots de crème on restaurant menus, specials or not, so we had to get this. It came in a cute little glass jar, with rich chocolate and mascarpone flavor with a hint of mac nut. This desert was an absolutely delicious perfect end to the meal. You can make reservations online, street parking is quite limited, and it can get busy as the night goes on, so recommended to get an earlier dinning time. Staffs regularly checked in on us and were polite and efficient.

    Photos
    Moon & Turtle - Limited seating so it fills fast - so make a reservation

    Limited seating so it fills fast - so make a reservation

    Moon & Turtle - Market fish (Ono)

    Market fish (Ono)

    Moon & Turtle - Market Fish - steamed mahi with garlic, ginger, scallion and soy in roasted bone congee with chili oil and wild rice

    See all

    Market Fish - steamed mahi with garlic, ginger, scallion and soy in roasted bone congee with chili oil and wild rice

    Ka Lihikai - cocktailbars - Updated September 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...