As other reviews mentioned- the attitude of the woman behind the counter sucks. We went back two…read moredays in a row for convenience and the delicious chocolate Mac nut cookies! However there was zero aloha spirit coming from this place. If someone is spending 50-70 bucks in your store at least try to manage a little friendliness. People work their whole lives to visit the place you call home, and you're lucky enough to live there. We never have experiences like this with native Hawaiian or true local businesses who embody Aloha and all the reasons we love Hawai'i so much. Yes I'm a visitor, but I definitely wouldn't shop here if I was a local either. If you're having a tough time that's okay, we all have our days, but don't bring it to work where people are financially supporting your business with their hard earned money. Or- go out of your way to be unpleasant. Instant mood killer.

When traveling, I love to visit local food shops, bodegas, and country stores. An opportunity to…read morefeel the local vibe, grab some local food and exchange a friendly smile. Well that ain't happening here. Stopped here to grab a few basics. Shelves are almost empty and selection sparse. But the kicker was the attitude of the woman behind the counter. Surly, snappy and went out of her way to be unpleasant. We all have bad days but rolling your eyes because I ask for sauce on the side instead of on top for a poke bowl? Arguing with me because I want to buy twelve Sparkling Ice drinks? Another eye roll when we added another popsicle to our items before she was finished ringing up all our items! I should have just left everything on the counter and walked out. Instead I spent $100 and got tons of attitude. Couple days later I needed more ice. Go back here? Heck no. I drove to Foodland where the folks couldn't be friendlier or more helpful. Our Hawaii visit was wonderful and we experienced the Aloha Spirit every where. Just not here.

After hiking at the national park and getting back really late due to several storms, this was the…read moreonly place open on the village for last minute shopping and to get some food. There's an ABC store here, a pricey market and a deli. We got some burgers that were just ok with overcooked fries and some groceries for our suite because we were cooking breakfast at the hotel. They have a decent selection here.

Very sincere review: if possible, go to another market store over this one, even if it is a little…read morebit of a longer drive. I am very disappointed with my family's experience here. We were only $20 short of reaching the $300 spending requirement for the free gifts, which should speak to how frequently we visited and how much money we spent at this store. Despite being repeat customers, every visit was met with the same poor customer service. All of the cashiers who helped us were rude, curt, and could not even acknowledge the smallest greetings. The customer service was so unpleasant that it was not worth the experience. The food is not amazing, the prices are not great, and the only thing this place has is convenience--nothing more to offer. In one instance, I got a burger and a black milk tea with boba. I specifically told the cashier that I wanted boba, but she did not ring it up. When I inquired about the missing boba, a young employee addressed the matter with the cashier. They talked, and I said that if it cost more, I could pay for it. She rang up the boba with zero acknowledgment of her mistake. Nothing came out of her mouth. Complete silence. In another instance, I asked a cashier what the gifts were if we reached $300 in purchases. She did not say a word. She simply reached for a card with images of the gifts and placed it on the opposite side of where I was standing. She said nothing. I asked if those were the gifts, and she said yes. She then pulled out her phone while I looked at the card, and I simply said, "Okay, thank you." These are just a few examples of the many disturbing encounters we had with all of the cashiers. While on vacation in a tourist area, this is not the type of conduct or customer service one expects to experience. It was disturbing, and we dreaded going there despite the convenience.

We found this first day of our trip and then kept coming back to this for smoothie ms and…read morebreakfast/lunch. Amazing place run by Amazing folks. Smoothies are nice and fresh. Snacks items are also well prepared and flavorful. It has many healthy items on the menu. We had bagels, panini and smoothies most of the times. If you are in area, do give this one a shot and I am pretty sure you will be happy with that decision.

The food and drinks here are fantastic, but the service sucks…read more The Good: *Tuna Panini: Incredible. It was so excellent that I couldn't stop eating it even after I was completely full. *Sunrise Juice: Delicious, bright, and refreshing. *Açaí Bowl & Smoothie: My husband ordered both and said they were excellent. The Bad: *The "Salad": The panini comes with a side "salad" that is literally just a pile of loose leaves and dressing. It is not a salad. Either do a proper side salad or don't bother serving it at all. Most importantly- The Staff: The entire experience was completely dampened by the staff. The walmart version of Ryan Cabrera who took our order was incredibly rude and cold. Both he and the woman working with him seemed genuinely unhappy to be there - honestly, they looked like they would be happier declawing cats. My husband waiting for our order could hear them complaining the entire time about how little they are paid. Look, it makes sense why you have an attitude if you hate your wage, but I am here on vacation from MY job where I work hard. I didn't do anything to deserve the cold shoulder.Go for the food, but expect a side of miserable service.

As a tourist, I heard so much praise about the top tier ono food and aloha spirit at Johnny's! Both…read moreof my experiences lived up to the 5 star reputation! First, we had a to go order for cheesesteaks that hit the spot after a long travel day. Super tender meat & flavors. The next day, we wanted Johnny's again and made time to eat in. OMG the breakfast portions were the perfect way to start the day of adventuring the island. Umami-fulled loco moco made me so happy while my husband raved about the crispy hash browns and made to order scramble. For the ambiance, the weather was perfect on the patio and it's cool to watch the golfers get ready for their rounds. Fun and kind employees, especially the wait staff, kitchen crew (hi to the talented chefs), and management. Can't wait for my next trip back to the Big Island and Johnny's!

I'm a very loyal customer, however I went to have lunch Wednesday after golf clinic and playing a…read moreround of golf, I ordered wings, I was surprised that the restaurant now charges for dipping your wings $2.00, I asked the server why, she simply said oh yes it started a few weeks ago. Question are we as consumers will just continue to accept business to charge any amount???? I feel the facility is nickel and dime us! As a loyal customer for 4.5 years, now not happy. I feel it needs to be shared among customers.

My husband and I frequented this Foodland Farms location throughout our Big Island trip bc nothing…read morebeats grabbing bentos, poke, inarizushi, and drinks before hitting the beach! And let me tell you, there wasn't a single thing we ordered that didn't hit. Foodland understands the assignment when it comes to beach grindz. The only thing that could've made our beach spread even better was if they had hot laulau and kalua pig available. But honestly? We were definitely happy with everything we brought back to the beach. Now, let me take a moment to give Vicki some MAJAH love because sis was nothing but aloha! Super kind, thoughtful, and genuinely welcoming. She's one of those employees you wish you could encounter at every location, every single time. The kind of person who makes an already good stop that much better. Mahalo nui, Vicki!

Wow, what a great market. They have everything you need. In addition to warm food too. I also…read moregot gifts for my fiends backhome. All the employees were so ice and helpful. The place was very neat and clean. It is a must stop in and shop.

So we went in for breakfast just as they got slammed with 20 walk-ups. Brandon and Frenchie…read moresurvived the onslaught with aplumb and delivered tasty, wonderful meals for us all. Try the french toast, the breakfast sandwich or eggs benedict. The wait is woth it and if you have conversations going it is quick enough to be just under an hour

We ordered the Sweet Bread French Toast with strawberry compote and the Mauka & Makai Benedict. The…read moreFrench toast was enjoyable, though fairly typical, while the Benedict was the standout dish, especially the grilled filet medallion lobster, which added a unique touch and great flavor. Beyond the food, the view created a pleasant ambiance and made for an enjoyable dining setting. Unfortunately, the experience was overshadowed by a cleanliness issue when our coffee was served. Both cups had visible lipstick marks on the rims. Although the staff promptly replaced them, it was an unpleasant first impression and raised concerns about attention to detail in dishwashing and quality control. Clean tableware is a basic expectation, so this was disappointing to encounter. Overall, we appreciated the food, the beautiful setting, and the staff's response, but the cleanliness issue significantly detracted from the experience.

I eat here once a month. As a vendor at the resort's popup artisan fair for the guests, the deli…read moreis convenient, and excellent. Staff is genuinely friendly and efficient. The menu is full of breakfast and all-day sandwiches, fresh and prepared fruit, all kinds of coffee choices smoothies, etc. The portions are huge. Plenty of sweet treats too. Big variety of bottled drinks, packaged snacks, with as many locally sourced as possible.

Disappointing and Overpriced: A Captive Audience Deserves Better…read more When you're staying at a hotel with very limited lunch options, you naturally hope the few available spots will step it up. Unfortunately, this deli completely misses the mark, capitalizing on a captive audience while delivering subpar food at embarrassingly overpriced rates. The menu options are incredibly limited, and what they actually serve feels like an afterthought: * The Sandwiches & "Flatbreads": The sandwiches are noticeably dried out, as if they've been sitting in a cooler for days. Meanwhile, the "flatbreads" are a joke--they look like a minor step up from a childhood Lunchable. * The "Salads": Calling these salads is a stretch. They are $16 for a box of plain leaves with hardly any other ingredients, and they include zero protein at that price point. It is incredibly frustrating to pay premium hotel prices for food that lacks basic effort and freshness. If you are going to trap guests with limited choices, at least offer something decent. This place seriously needs to step it.

I found this place completely by accident after being invited to dinner by the manager's mother…read more Honestly, that's the kind of accident I hope keeps happening. They opened with beef tartare that ruined me for every other beef tartare I've ever had. The osso buco is legendary. Then came the double cheeseburger... and I need everyone to understand that I don't hand out compliments like ketchup packets. This is, without question, the best burger I've ever eaten. It's so good it makes you want a cigarette afterward--and I don't even smoke. I've come back many times just for that burger because nothing else I've tried on Hawaiʻi Island or Oʻahu comes close. Their tater tots have developed their own fan club, and the little bar with beer, wine, and cocktails makes it dangerously easy to linger. The staff is consistently warm and welcoming. After being away for six weeks because of a family emergency, one of my first stops after returning was this burger. It was still outstanding, but I did notice the beef patty seemed about a third to nearly half thinner than I remembered. At around $20, that's noticeable. I'm hoping it was just an off day because this place has earned enough goodwill for me to give it another shot. Don't overlook the butcher shop itself. The meat quality is miles beyond what you'll find in a grocery store. I bought their ground beef for a ragù alla Bolognese, and it was so spectacular that I went back specifically to buy more for homemade burgers. Bottom line: this is one of the hidden gems of the island. Come for the butcher shop, stay for the burger, and if you leave without wondering whether you should light an imaginary post-burger cigarette, we clearly ordered different meals.

Heard such great things about this butcher shop on social media so had check them out…read more It's a small hole-in-the-wall store in Waimea (Kamuela) butcher shop/restaurant l. Came to buy their well-known Laulau sausage and to try their burgers. Meal prices are a tad bit high, but as they say, "you get what you pay for." We decided to try two different items on their small menu; a pastrami and hamburger. Both were so fresh you could actually taste the difference. Nothing like fresh meat! Both were well-seasoned and TENDER, the bun on the burger was a brioche which was very moist. We also got their version of Mac salad which was quite good The laulau sausage was very good, just never had laulau in a sausage before. GPS gave us the incorrect directions, but we found it. It's across the Ace Hardware store. Open parking.

Came by here last month on our drive up to Waimea and really enjoyed the food!! Service was…read morefriendly too. Sweet potato fries were sooo good. Tried all the sauces and they were all delicious. Parking is in the back lot, it's a good idea to come when they open to beat crowds but there's plentiful seating inside.

Food 5/5 Strawberry Lemonade $9 - Yum! Absolutely delicious…read more Lava Flow $16 - Tasty and delicious. Spicy Poke Bowl $26 - Just okay, nothing special about it. The flavor wasn't kicking nor was it really that spicy at all. BBQ Sampler Plate w/ fries & grilled pineapple $37.95 - Good price point for a sampler. We've eaten a ton of BBQ around the US and the brisket was one of my favorites. The ribs had a sweetness I really enjoyed. Reuben Spring Rolls $16 - Not pictured but loved them! Chocolate Cake $12 - Since it was my actual birthday, my partner wanted to get me a slice of cake but boy are they huge. It was absolutely delicious but we had to take it to go. I would recommend they have smaller slices as eating a ton of BBQ and devouring a huge slice of cake is due for a heart attack. Ambiance 5/5 Got a nice table by the window minus the horsefly. Service 3/5 The lady who sat us and took our drink orders is extremely sweet and friendly. Our service was just okay, she didn't really add to our experience as if there was something on her mind.

Pro Tip: Enjoy a Luxury Resort Without Staying There…read more Here's a little Big Island travel hack... You don't have to be a guest at the five-star Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection to soak up its incredible atmosphere. Simply tell the valet you're dining at Surf Shack, enjoy a bite, a drink--or both--and they'll validate your parking. The complimentary valet alone feels like a win. The resort is consistently recognized as one of the Big Island's premier luxury destinations. Once you've eaten, take your time exploring the property. Stroll the beautifully landscaped grounds, relax in the open-air lounges, wander the shoreline, watch the waves roll in, browse the upscale shops, and enjoy one of the most peaceful resort settings on the Kohala Coast. The ambiance is worth the visit all by itself. As for Surf Shack, the setting is fantastic. The food? Good, but definitely priced with a luxury resort zip code. We enjoyed our meal, but you'll likely pay a premium for what you order. So here's the hack: Pay for lunch... get the resort experience for free. Between the validated valet parking, stunning grounds, oceanfront setting, and laid-back luxury vibe, it's one of the best values on the Big Island if you know the secret. Just don't tell too many people.

We happen to be in town for Taco Tuesday. They offered fresh Al pastor, from a spit and a mushroom…read moretaco. I had two Al pastor tacos and they were heaven. The green salsa was a winner. We also ordered the fish tacos, which is always on the menu. They were fresh and delicious.