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    Kona Wave Cafe

    4.5 (427 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Kona Wave Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    KONA WAVE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed
    Good for kids

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    Annie W.

    Quick easy coffee and acai bowls in Kona! I come here for coffee or acai bowls when I don't feel like venturing too far from my hotel. I've gotten the Kona Wave Latte and Lava Mocha a few times. I like my coffee hot, but they have some good looking frappe drinks. I've also gotten the Kona Wave acai bowl several times and it's pretty good! I do wish they had bee pollen here, as that's an addition I like at other places I go to. Service is always pretty quick. It's a small place where you order and there are a few places to sit outside. I always get my coffee and go sit at the beach or walk around town.

    Shave ice
    Lizzie S.

    Large acai bowls and shaved ice! Cute seating facing a parking lot but also with ocean views. I built my own shave ice (kids' size, half and half fresh fruit which was pineapple and strawberry, and picked 3 flavors though they were out of Ube.) I liked the mochi and popping boba. It was delicious and tasted fresh and not overly sweet! My friend enjoyed her acai bowl which she took some to-go because it was so large. Service was friendly and warm.

    Terri C.

    I had a really good açaí bowl from here when I was in Kona last month. It's a kiosk across the street from the Courtyard King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel where I was staying, so it was quite convenient. The staff was friendly and I had the Monkey Bowl that I ordered in no time. The regular size Monkey Bowl (16 oz., $13.25) was açaí topped with granola, bananas, almonds, honey, and peanut butter. I thought it tasted great, although it was a bit pricey for the size, but I'll chalk it up to inflation or tourist pricing. If you want a large, 24 oz., that went for $15.25. Happy eating!

    Estele K.

    Food 5/5; Best Açaí bowl you will find in Kona Big Island!!! Search no further, these were super fresh and granola was really crunchy. I wish I ate this everyday tbh. Not too sweet, tastes organic and super fresh. Well balanced. Service 5/5: very fast and friendly staff. Ambiance 5/5: lil cute outdoor seating area. I highly recommend!

    Rachel C.

    I was craving acai bowls and found this cafe on Yelp. I got the acai bowls with papaya and strawberries with coconut flakes on top. It was so delicious and hit the spot. It was a bit pricy since the bowls were $14 for a regular size but it was a lot and very filling. The only thing is that parking in the lot is pretty expensive. You'd have to find park on the street a few blocks away to avoid paying $$ for parking

    Island bowl
    Misa K.

    Great acai bowl! I got the Island Bowl which had their signature acai topped with granola, strawberries, papaya, coconut flakes, and honey. It was refreshing & delicious. The staff were friendly and service was quick.

    Ritu V.

    Kona Wave Cafe - Kailua-Kona Kona Wave Cafe is in a great spot right across from the beach in Kailua-Kona. It's a small, casual setup with only a few outdoor tables, so it works more as a grab-and-go place, perfect if you want to take your food and enjoy it by the ocean. I ordered a custom Acai bowl with banana, strawberry, peanut butter, granola, and chia seeds. The Acai itself was bomb -- fresh, cold, and full of flavor. The strawberries were sweet, the peanut butter was creamy and rich, and the granola gave it a nice crunch. Overall, the bowl looked beautiful and tasted refreshing. A couple of things could make it even better: the banana portion was tiny (barely five tiny slices), and the chia seeds were just raw on top instead of soaked, which made them a bit odd to eat. A soaked chia layer would have added so much more texture and balance. Service was the one downside. When I went to pay, I hit "no tip" on the card reader because I planned to leave cash in the tip jar, but the lady at the counter made disapproving sounds. It felt awkward and unnecessary, and it left me with a less-than-welcoming impression. Overall, Kona Wave Cafe has great potential. The Acai base was fantastic, and the location is unbeatable. With a little more generosity on toppings and a friendlier customer service experience, this could easily be a five-star spot in Kailua-Kona.

    Lychee Dream shaved Ice
    Lena T.

    Went here for the first with my partner and we got the lychee dream without the fresh pineapple since I'm allergic to pineapples. DEFINITELY RECOMMEND. Service was fast and very friendly! The vibe of just enjoying either shaved ice or an Acai bowl by the waters is a great start to day or evening :)

    Açaí bowls
    Steve S.

    The only purpose of this review is to tell you to go with the açaí bowl, and not the shave ice. I went twice and tried each, and while the shave ice was good, it wasn't spectacular or worth the price. The açaí bowl on the other hand was worth every penny. Nice toppings and generous portions!

    Britney W.

    Staff was kind, and the shaved ice was good. I appreciate that the dining area right outside was clean, no sticky tabletops at all.

    Koma Island Vibes
    DeLisa T.

    Kona Wave cafe is the place to go for Acai Bowl afficados. Every spoonful confirmed why visiting the "Big Island" -Kona,Hawaii is everything. The food, the hospitality, the chill island vibes, and the most welcoming environment you could ever imagine. Kona Wave Cafe, you did that! A+. 10 out of 10.

    Shaved ice
    Chris D.

    Tasty shaved ice with quick friendly service. Very clean area. If in the area, give it a try.

    Patio
    Sarahbeth M.

    Great coffee. Strong! Get the Kona Wave Latte with oat milk. Delicious and slightly sweet. Also have acai bowls which are good but idk the acai lacks sugar or flavors, but the toppings are bomb. Can't go wrong here with shaved ice and they start selling shaved ice at 1030. Friendly service. Nice patio with some seating. Probably on fits about 8 people total. Right across the pier so just walk around and enjoy the ocean views.

    Classic milk tea, strawberry milk blended, taro blended all with boba

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    1 year ago

    The shaved ice was soooo refreshing. I loved the mochi pieces! Acai bowl was underwhelming.

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    9 months ago

    It was really big size . I like it. If you are not really hungry take small size :) ppl really kind.

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    1 year ago

    Pretty good açaí bowls. Some tables to eat at outside. A grab and go spot with nearby stores and beach access. Limited parking.

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    Page 1 of 11

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    Journey Cafe Big Island

    Journey Cafe Big Island

    4.6
    (474 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    Came here around 9am on Saturday. Wasn't too busy, we were able to order right away and find…read moreseating. The place is super comfy with really cute decor. And their staff is super nice! First off, their macadamia ice cream is really really good! Creamy, thick, sooo tasty! We also ordered: Epic Feisty Tacos - 5/5 - comes with three tacos and spicy sauce. The tacos are super tasty and perfectly balanced spicy, savory, tangy flavors. The lemon herb chik'n is also so good, you can't even tell it's vegan. The tortillas are a bit on the crumbly side, but still equally tasty as a taco bowl. Definitely would recommend this dish if you love spicy tacos! Epic journey nachos - 4/5 - the toppings on the nachos taste similar to the feisty tacos. The chips are more like baked tortillas with a crispy exterior and softer center. Journey Classic Crepe and Blueberry macnut crepe - 3/5 - The crepe itself was a bit thick, I'd describe it as more of a pancake than a crepe as crepes should be super thin. Still pretty good though all together, fruity and sweet. Latte with oat milk - 4/5 - a bit on the bitter side but not a bad latte! Asian salad - 4/5 - good salad, vegan meat is well seasoned and everything pairs well together. It wasn't very Asian tasting though, more like a Mexican-Asian fusion salad.

    I was originally a bit skeptical about vegan chicken tacos, but these were surprisingly delicious…read more That's saying a lot, coming from a mostly paleo eater! I particularly enjoyed their strawberry shake, which was so refreshing. I noticed that they also have a coffee one, which means I'll need to stop in again next time I'm in Kona. in spite of walking in during a busier time of day, service was quick both while putting in the order and waiting for our food to come out of the kitchen. The decor is a visually fun and engaging mix of greenery and art designed to keep diners feeling cooler in Kona's heat. Both indoor and outdoor seating are available. Even if you're not committed to vegetarian or vegan food, there's a lot to like, especially if you're looking for something light, clean, and sweet.

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    Macadamia Ice Cream
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    Kona Coffee & Tea

    Kona Coffee & Tea

    4.4
    (742 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$
    Established in 1998
    Family-owned & operated

    Great Kona coffee in a wonderful casual atmosphere!…read more I had to meet up/interview a potential Big Island candidate in Kailua-Kona and I was basically looking for a casual place where I could meet, enjoy a drink, and have a little bit of conversation. Kona Coffee & Tea was the place of choice here in Kailua-Kona. Located at the Kona Coast Shopping Center, you can find this little coffee shop just next door from KFC. The coffee shop is easy to find, as other business surrounding this business is the KTA Superstore, Hele Gas Station, HFS Federal Credit Union, O'Reilly Auto Parts, as well as many numerous eateries. It was late in the afternoon, so I basically came here for some drinks. I had to try their Kona Coffee, and I must say it did not disappoint! The coffee shop has indoor, as well as covered outdoor seating. The shop does sell some food items, but I did not partake or looked at what they had to offer. There was also coffee shop merchandise, but I did not have time to take a look at what they had to offer. Overall, as great coffee shop and if I'm in the area again, I wouldn't hesitate to stop by for their wonderful coffee.

    Kona Coffee & Tea really makes it a point to articulate that their coffee is 100% Kona coffee. For…read morethat reason, some of their drink offerings are priced accordingly, with a 12 oz medium pour over costing $10. Unless you're a coffee connoisseur, you may want to skip the pour over for something a bit less special to save yourself a few dollars. The coffee was fine, but my unrefined palette was not able to fully appreciate the cup of brew. In terms of atmosphere, Kona Coffee & Tea has plenty of seating outdoors around the porch and a few high tables indoor, where they have AC blasting at full strength. They have free Wi-Fi available as well, so I saw a lot of people posting up on their laptops. Parking is plentiful and easy to find since this coffee spot is located in a strip mall. If you have a discerning palette for the subtle flavors that show up in different coffee beans, you will definitely want to stop by for a cup.

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    The Nutcracker (Honey Latte with Pistachio Foam)
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    Passion fruit iced tea with simple syrup... refreshing!
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    Island Lava Java

    Island Lava Java

    4.0
    (3.2k reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Pancakes were nice and fluffy. Bigger than I expected and the coconut syrup was a nice touch…read more Bacon could have been a little crispier but the taste was very nice. Vanilla latte was way too sweet (personally) but I did add vanilla syrup and cold foam so that's on me. Just didn't taste much of the coffee. Biscuits and gravy were delicious and the pork had amazing flavor. Waffle was a little dried out (we sent it back due to it not being crispy enough and we believe they just reheated the waffle). But the flavor was still good with the macadamia nuts and bananas The Bloody Mary was great, however, they could do with a little more spice and a little more tomato base. As far as bloody Mary's go, this was on the weaker side. Loved the Black Sea salt rim. Shoutout to our server, Terri, who was fabulous the whole time.

    I found this place on TikTok and was really excited to give it a try. I ordered the Loco Moco, and…read moremy boyfriend ordered the Luau Scramble. At first, the Loco Moco was okay. It was a little saltier than I expected, so I started separating everything on my plate while I was eating. That's when I found the first strand of hair underneath the rice. I pulled it out and honestly tried to brush it off. A few bites later, I took another bite of the patty and rice. When I went to wipe my mouth, another strand of hair came out of my mouth. At that point, my boyfriend and I decided to completely separate the food, and that's when we found a third strand of hair embedded in the rice. After finding three hair strands of hair, I completely lost my appetite. If anyone thinks I'm exaggerating, I recorded the entire experience, and it'll be included in my YouTube video. As for whether I'd recommend this place or come back, unfortunately, no. Maybe the other menu items are better, but based on my experience, I definitely wouldn't recommend ordering the Loco Moco.

    Photos
    Upstairs bar
    Upstairs bar
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    Acai Hawaii

    Acai Hawaii

    4.7
    (65 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free parking

    My favorite Açaí bowl. The açaí is great and pure açaí nothing added. The toppings are so fresh and…read morealways sweet. A fun location and walking distance to the shops. Lots of good tables to eat at down below or a bar upstairs to overlook the ocean! The girls who work there are so cute and so sweet! One of our favorite spots.

    Tried the Small Islander and Drifter açaí bowls for breakfast and appreciated how quickly…read moreeverything was made and brought out to us. I added almond butter to one of the bowls for an extra $1, which was a nice touch and complemented the bowl well. Overall, the bowls were solid and enjoyable, especially if you prefer a simpler, less overly sweet açaí. The açaí itself was more icy and not as sweet compared to other places, which was solid but not my personal preference That said, I was hoping for a little more of a unique Hawaii-inspired twist -- maybe something like coconut cream or another local flavor element -- because the bowls tasted pretty similar to açaí bowls I've had in other states. I've definitely had more memorable and "wow" açaí bowl experiences in Hawaii before. Still, I appreciated the freshness, simplicity, and quick service, and it was a good breakfast option overall. I loved eating it while watching the sunrise and waves and love its proximity to the Oceanside!

    Photos
    Try our Kilauea topped with local papaya! One of our most popular bowls.
    Try our Kilauea topped with local papaya! One of our most popular bowls.
    Acai Hawaii
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    Kona Wave Cafe - coffee - Updated July 2026

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