I've been to many luaus and this is by far the best. The service was excellent. Very good buffet choices, Well presented, not overdone. Lots of beverage choices. The show is staged very professionally. It tells a beautiful mythological story of how the islands came to be. The MC was graciously beautiful and wonderfully engaging. She created a magical experience with the whole ensemble. Great Hawaiian dancing . Definitely a go to with family or friends. read more

Mauna Kea Luau - Hawaiian musicians - Performing Arts Near Me - Kohala, Hawaii

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Great show that was just the right length. I have never been to a Luau, so do not know if this is normal or they do it differently, however we got a lot of Hawaiian history with the show, which was fantastic. The stage is angled towards the sunset, so you get to watch the beautiful sunset while you are eating dinner, before the full performance. I also LOVED that they talked about the roasted luau pig and how that was done. The complimentary mai tai was a nice treat! My only disappointment was the leis were beads, instead of flowers, but that really wasn't a big deal as the food and show were all fantastic! It also is a Beautiful resort that I hope to come back to some day! read more

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One of the best Hawaii adventures. The entertainment,food setting was better than perfect. Get there early to walk around enjoy the beautiful resort. A must do!!! read more

Mauna Kea Luau - The setting! - Performing Arts Near Me - Kohala, Hawaii

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Although when people think Luau, they think FOOD, actually what makes every luau I have been to memorable is more - the performances. Beautiful setting by the water, surrounded by trees that provide some relief if the wind is blowing. The Mauna Kea Luau has been around since the Rockefellers built this hotel in the mid 1960s, and this is probably one of the best and most authentic luaus on the Big Island. It even includes members of the Lim family, direct descendants of King Kamehameha, who add some authenticity to the style and grace that all of the dancers provide. As you look around the audience, you see no descendants of anyone Hawaiian though. The Mauna Kea opened as a white washed old money establishment, and to this day you get the feeling that many of the hotel guests were brought here by their parents, or grandparents, and are now here as adults, including with their own children. I'm probably no different; we used to go to the Mauna Kea buffet as kids, and many of my grammar or high school friends stayed here at the hotel with their parents; still, it is interesting that even after all these years, the vast majority of the crowd is homogenous. The food is not bad, highlights include the Aki Poke and other varieties of Hawaiian fare, chicken, beef and pork (yes there is a whole pit barbecued pig), plus various salads and a variety of desserts. (Also the purple "Pass the Poi" starch based taro root pudding.) You will get one Mai Tai (or non alcoholic drink) included with the buffet style dinner for the $117. regular admission price (not including mandatory 15% tip); $20. extra for premium seating (closer to the stage) which premium also gets you first in to the luau, and first to the buffet food. We knew one of the performers so we got a 50% discount but even at full price, a luau is just something you must do at least once, when in Hawaii, even if you do not repeat it on subsequent trips. I have been to many different luaus over the years in Hawaii, on different islands, and this luau is one of the best. The performers provide not just hula dances and fire dances (which are very breathtaking actually), but also traditional Hawaiian presentations that re-tell short Hawaiian native scenes. There is also a segment where no photo or video taking is allowed, where the performers perform some traditional Hawaiian dances. Just a couple of negatives, one are all the flies swarming on the buffet food - and this was in April. During other months I would imagine this would be far worse. The other neg would be the stoic frowns on the food and drink servers, especially the male servers. What's to be dour about, when you're getting 15% mandatory tips just to serve drinks and clear dishes? I did hear some guests complaining that the Mai Tais were weak, but we don't drink so this wasn't a concern for us anyway. Negatives aside, a great experience, definitely worth doing. read more

Packaging up culture as a tourist product is always a tricky proposition. I was on the fence booking this, unsure whether it would be interesting & fun for our family or an overpriced tourist trap. But I was really impressed by how this was done, the group clearly is doing it as a way to uphold and present traditional culture, and they provided good info about all the meanings and stories. The food was better than I expected, and there was plenty. The pork was particularly delicious and there were several classic Hawaiian sides as well. And like everything at this resort, the setting was magnificent and the service great. The price is a bit high, but researching other luaus, it was pretty in line with those. If you're staying at the resort anyway, you'd be overpaying for any of the food options. Best to book weeks in advance, easy to do on their website. read more

Came for an evening of entertainment. The luau was a bit disorganized. The email and confirmation said to be there by 4:50 and that we would receive shell lei's. Well got there right at 4:50 to be told we were not to be seated until 5:10. We had premium seating, but then were told that everyone was going to be seated at the same time. We got a fresh flower lei while others got both the shell and the flower lei which was a little confusing. There were then people that were already seated and got to stay seated which was again a little frustrating since those could have been our seats. You are not able to take pictures or videos of the performance since it was choreographed, which made no sense since we had just went to another luau the day before that allowed photos and videos and the Fire performance was very similar. The food was a buffet and the Turkey was more flavorful than the pork. Did get to see manta rays swimming after which was more excitement. read more

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My real benchmark was a modest luau at a modest Makaha beachfront residence in 1965. Can't ever beat that for authenticity. In the realm of commercial luaus, Mauna Kea Luau is a very good one. Food was excellent, service was excellent. The show was impressive. Well worth the time and money. read more

We attended the 4th of July event. We love the Mauna Kea. This event was sub-standard. At 8pm seating , it was all picked over. The pulled pork was very dry. The ice cream that was left (only 2 of 4 flavors) was runny. The wine was terrible. Mostly, the fireworks were cut short with no Grand Finale and ended before 9pm after just a few minutes. The event originally stated it would be over at 9:30. We attended the NYE event & loved it. What happened on the 4th? Ambience: can't go wrong! read more

I've been to five luaus over the years and this is my first on the Big Island. It was by far the best. The hotel setting was beautiful in an area away from the hotel within trees and overlooking the ocean. The check-in process was smooth and the staff were helpful and great to interact with. The food was head and shoulders above any of the other luaus - quite a few delicious options. Many times there are a lot of filler (breads and starches, salads) and not a lot of mains. There were several delicious salads (poke, purple sweet potato salad, shrimp cocktail, lomi lomi salmon) and the mains were the star (Pipikaula, fresh catch, kaula pork, short ribs). And the deserts were also delicious. This one only included one free mai tai upon entry but that wasn't an issue for us as we only have one drink anyway. The show was very well structured, entertaining, and enlightening. It had more of a focus on traditional dance and story telling (done very well) instead of tourist trap hula girls. The fire dance was especially thrilling. read more

This is the best Luau by a hotel I've ever been to. It is small and unique. The performers are very talented. The food is great, the service is superb. and the price is appropriate. The ambiance is very authentically Hawaiian. read more

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A fun evening. Great show and food. Setting was beautiful. Luau's are a touristy thing to do. But they are a lot of fun. This was a great evening. read more

Mauna Kea Luau - Performing Arts Near Me - Kohala, Hawaii

Honestly, I went into this luau with very low expectations. I had seen one some two decades ago at the cultural center in Oahu on the other side from Honolulu. That experience left me with a poor taste of the tourist trap show and subpar foods they served. Then all the poor reviews on here had me nodding, this will be another cheesy tourist trap. And I got a 2 for 1 deal through the Costco deal, so figured yep, must be so bad people don't even go to it. And then we went on the Friday performance and was smitten by the show!!! Directions were questionable, but was told to take elevator down and go out to the right from the back of the hotel. Kept walking, down flight of stairs (not stroller friendly, lol), onto large grassy area to where we saw some lines formed around a podium and an area obscured by trees. Did not really get lost, you can't really go anywhere else unless diving into the ocean, just have to keep going. Opted for the regular $117? seating, instead of the premium for $20 more for chips, mac nuts, front tables. Second row tables were plenty good seating. In hindsight, maybe premium seating would have been worth it since 2 for 1 deal. There was live band while waiting in line outside, everyone got some necklace thing (tossed at the end since no need and no space in luggage), and overall view and atmosphere was relaxing and nice. The view of the stage is beautiful with the sun setting behind it. The food had a lot of options, so got a taste of most of it and got full quickly. Wouldn't say the food was great, but at least I was able to have a full meal and loved certain things like the taro sweet bread. There was a variety of desserts as well. The mai tai was so so but was something to sip on. The show itself was absolutely awesome and engaging!!! Not sure about recordings being played, there was a live band of 4 that maybe grew later to 6 or 8? The story telling, the hula dancers mesmerized, the fire twirling dudes were incredible (saw one practicing at the far end when we were being seated). These performers seemed seriously dedicated to their crafts and it resulted in an incredibly entertaining evening! My wife and I concluded at the end that this would be worth paying full prices for, forget the 2 for 1 deal. Awesome awesome show, very memorable. Maybe there are better luau's out there, I don't know. Not sure how one can top this performance. If this is bad, I can't wait to watch a better show! Please tell me where! (just maybe, did they bring out better performers and band because the show was pretty full??? there was a wedding party that had over 100 people I think. maybe they called on better professionals who take pride in their performances vs. summer vacation time? we visited in later September) read more

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Great hula & music!! We love the Mauna Kea & the Lim's!! Lim family been doing the luau here forever and it's the best dancing and music by far! Expensive like others but can u do Hawai'i without the luau?? Hells no so pay up buttercup and have a good time! Nice modern style to the hula. Complex choreography and beautiful ladies! Lots of twirling I've never seen that. Kick ass fire dance too. The band was exceptional, great falsetto singing & slide guitar. I sent up a couple requests and they banged them right out! Sang the shit out of the keyhole hula. Loved it! Who else would know the kimo Henderson hula but a Hawaiian master?? Great singer & band. Thanks guys. Food was great. Bc of covid it's grouped by party only seating & waitress service. They brought us so much food I died. Great pork!!! Mai tai included and then a couple konas and we waddled back to the room fat & happy haoles. The Lim luau never fails MAHALO!! read more

absolutely wonderful experience for the whole family...best luau we've seen. the audience size made it feel quaint and personal. the show was wonderful and the cast was very friendly and personable. the setting was beatiful and a perfect sunset view. memorable experience. read more

Great venue, performance, and food. It's pricey- $120 for luau and $30 extra for the show. 15 percent tip also. Mai Tai drink was underwhelming. Outside of the sticker shock, it was a great evening and a lot of fun. Fire dancers worth the ticket- exhilarating and hot! Highly recommended. read more

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We had a party of 10 seated in the VIP seats right in front of the stage. Our server was amazing never an empty glass of the complementary Mai tie's, coconut pina colas or beer. The food buffet was tasty would have liked a larger selection of Hawaiian fare. Our seating was amazing for the show. The hula dancers were wonderful and the fire dancer was amazing. Our hostess made a point of announcing birthdays and anniversaries starting with ten years twenty five years till they reached our golden fifty year anniversary. It was an amazing evening and a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary! I would recommend this luau and recommend upgrading to VIP tickets. read more

We were welcomed with a delicious Mai tai and seated while listening to live music. The performers put on a fabulous show and the food was good as well! Afterwards we walked over the manta ray snorkle tour and watched the people snorkel with manta rays in the water which was beautiful. read more

We could not speak highly enough about this luau. Having visited multiple luaus before, our expectations were not very high. However, both of us, along with everybody at our table were absolutely blown away with the performances that we saw. From the firebreather to the dancers and singers, the musicians all did a fantastic job portraying Hawaiian culture, and we were all beyond pleased. Highly recommend, and, when we return, we will suggest it to everyone we know. Traditions Hawaii is the name of the group - they all seem to be very talented and respectful of the Polynesian culture which we all enjoyed greatly. read more

Such a great experience!! We arrived early to get in line and get good seats. Some do this, others don't. Just depends on your personality type I guess. But it was worth it for us. I don't feel like paying extra for priority would have been worth it for us. You do get front row seats and first in line for food, however we were one row back and it was just as good if not better IMO. Plenty of food to go around. If you didn't arrive early you may have a different opinion. We did get to see the pig presentation which was cool. The food was tasty. Exactly what I expected in terms of buffet sorts. Everything tasted fresh and pig was delicious. The show was great - we loved it!! Just long enough for us with 2 kids. My mother said it was better than her Maui lu'au experience. I highly recommend - the dancers were so fun to watch. All so beautiful and talented. Glad we did this our last night in Hawaii. read more

Loved it! Our first luau so can't compare but it was pretty spectacular. We got lucky in that we saw the pig being buried in the emu in the morning... and, we got to see it unwrap 8 hours later for dinner. Delicious! Show was awesome too Food: lot of variety! Turkey, chicken, steak, seafood, poke, fresh cut fruits, desserts. Not everything was great but majority was... we found plenty that we liked. You'll be full and satisfied! Show: WOW! It's pretty spectacular. It keeps building and building and building to the grand finale of fire dance! That was unbelievable... jaw dropping! Cost: it's expensive, no way around that fact. We paid for premium so was around $160 with tips. We felt it was worth it. Other luaus are marginally cheaper and from what I read not as great. So makes sense to pay a bit more and get the best experience. read more

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It was a very nice evening, luau food was good and the performance part of the show was nice but ran a bit long and felt like a Vegas performance at times...overall very good but pricey, now that we've done one Luau I don't think we'd do another again if and when we come back to the islands for a future vacation read more

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This was a very unique experience. I had never been to a Lu'au before so I did not know what to really expect. They have dancers/performers doing all sorts of fire stunts and showcasing the history behind Hawaii. There is also a pretty large array of food options at the buffet before the show starts. I would say that the food in itself is pretty good and everything was prepared fresh that day. They have servers that come to refill your beverages and also you can order your own cocktails and alcoholic beverages as you'd like. Pricey for sure, but definitely a memorable experience. read more

Mauna Kea Luau - Lu'au feast - Performing Arts Near Me - Kohala, Hawaii

Came here for the luau at the hotel. Service was great, seating is really good. Even for general seating. Front row premium seating isn't much different from general. Food was really good. Buffet style food. Luau performance and music was really well done. Only problem was the bar situation. You get one free mai tai upon entry. Servers are the only way to get additional drinks. When your server disappears then you can't get more. Bar is in the back and not accessible. For the price paid. Open bar should be an option. Been to a lot of luaus and open bar is one of the main plus for them. read more

Great Big Island Luau, both in terms of the show and the food. Book and enjoy in a fantastic Kohala oceanfront setting

Delicious food and great show. Beautiful view of the ocean. Highly recommend. We love mauna kea. read more

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Outstanding Luau! The setting, the music, and the performers are all amazing! The emcee is the epitome of perfection and professionalism. She's poised and professional and exudes the warmth and beauty of Hawaii; she's regal yet approachable with her smile, wit, and charm; and to top it off she sings like an angel. The musicians and singers in the band sounded excellent and the dancers were all top-notch (especially the fire dancer! Wow!). Overall, we had a wonderful time and highly recommend this Luau. read more

We're in Hawaii, why not go to a luau!!!!!! To our surprise, its crazy expensive for 2 people, and we were not paying that price. It was like $130/ person for the entire night (pig ceremony, dinner, and the show). So we ate dinner elsewhere, then chose to just attend the luau portion. It was roughly $35/ person without tax. The show was okay. The dancers were really good. The singing was beautiful. I wanted more, honestly. It wasn't really "fun" to me. I've been to more entertaining shows. I heard the shows on the other islands were much better. But I'm still glad we got to experience a luau. read more

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This is the third time I've been to this luau. The setting is beautiful as is the show. However, we had bad service this time. One of my daughter's is vegetarian and I stated it when I placed my order. Both other times, she was brought a plate of vegetarian food. This time, our server told me she can just chose vegetarian options at the buffet.,but I also spoke to two other servers who told me- they bring her a veggie plate - that was our experience in the past.Our waiter told me that wasn't true. I spoke to someone else and he said the vegetarian option had to be specified prior to the show and I responded that I had booked it when I booked the tickets. He said - show me your booking. So I'm trying to get my food as we had priority seating and I had to get out my phone as I'm trying to bring up the receipt. Then he yelled at me that I was blocking the line! I said you told me to show you my receipt! I showed him the vegetarian option on my receipt. He asked me my name about 5 times. Finally, After about 45 minutes of " negotiating " that I ordered a vegetarian plate" they Finally brought her some vegetarian food. Needless to say- this really ruined the evening. I spent over $700 on premium seating and felt that our request placed at time of booking should have been honored without the extended hassle. We were there to celebrate a special occasion and it was a pretty epic and expensive let down... read more

Without a doubt one of the biggest highlights of our trip! The food, the show, the scenery -- all top notch. I couldn't stop smiling the whole time. Eating at a family style table is not everyone's cup of tea, but we loved it and exchanged information on "best places to visit" with our table mates. read more

The Luau was amazing. My wife and I enjoyed the show and how informative it was about the Hawaiian culture. The food was amazing as well. Great view of the ocean behind the show. read more

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Price does not justify the quality of this Luau. If you are visiting Oahu, I would recommend doing a Luau there as opposed to the big island. This was supposed to be one of the better Luaus on the big island and this was very underwhelming. The food is a 1 out of 5 and is not great tasting, the local mom and pop food spots on the big island are way superior to this buffet food. The fire dance was the best part but lasts only 2minutes. The view of the beach is the best part, but if you are already staying at the Westin/Mauna Kea area, you are not really experiencing anything different. read more

Food was fine, but the luau was more like what you see on a cruise ship. Very cheesy and over done. I've been to quite a few luaus in my years. This one was the least enjoyable and the least authentic. I'd probably skip it. read more

What a fantastic experience! From the booking process, to the buffet & show- everything was superb. I expected it to be a large event but it felt intimate, albeit with a good amount of attendees. The location and service were superb! I took my 1yr old daughter and we all enjoyed every minute. The cultural representation in the performance was our highlight. Thank you Mauna Kea for offering such a fantastic experience for our first luau! read more

Mauna Kea Luau - Unveiling of the cooked pork - Performing Arts Near Me - Kohala, Hawaii

This is hands down the best luau we have been to in all of Hawaii. The food is fantastic and the setting is incredible. It's also very friendly for young kids that get to go up on stage, learn the hula, and stay entertained the whole time! read more

We attended the 4th of July celebration. Unfortunately, it was quite disappointing. It was very overpriced for what was included. Drinks were not included. We only saw our waitress that helped with drinks about every 45min. Also, it seemed as if something went wrong with the fireworks. There was no grand finale. Also, we used the shuttle between the Westin and Mauna Kea, and the lines and wait were terribly long. Overall, fantastic views, but the event is poorly planned and executed. read more

We were told to arrive at 4:45. It was a long walk down many stairs and walkways, which I disliked because I am mobility impaired. Then we had to stand in line, without a chair or a bench in sight, for more than 45 minutes! Come on people, this is ageist, ableist, and just plain poor hospitality. Then, each of the "premium" guests got a lei, but us "general" folks got a seed pod necklace. We weren't aware that there was a premium seating option. The ticket price for "general" seating was $200 per person, but everyone at our hotel, the Westin Hapuna, said it was worth it. Everyone gets one free mai tai. If you want a second drink you'll have to pay extra. Your server won't be back if you want anything more. Then, the people in the premium seats received chips and dip, and the people in general seating got nothing! (It was like that school lesson where blue-eyed people got treats and brown-eyed people got nothing.) The food was a giant, mediocre buffet where people were allowed to go just one row at a time, like boarding an airplane. We were in one of the last rows, so by the time it was our turn, all the food had been picked over and was cold. The much-celebrated roast pig meat was dry. The whole buffet was whisked away in minutes, so if you didn't get your dessert on the first round you're out of luck. The music and the performers were excellent, and that is who the two stars are for. Not a good value, and definitely not recommended for people with mobility issues. read more

Spectacular and so meaningful. We opted for the "show only". It includes water, coffee and a full dessert buffet. Sodas and cocktails are additional. The show and service were wonderful. The Mauna Kea facilities are top notch. Would have been nice to see more fruit choices and gluten free dessert options. read more

We have done this luau about 10 years ago, and we have to admit that it is better then it was before! The food tasted so good and fresh and the show was amazing. Love having the opportunity to take pictures with the performers after the show. Highly recommended for all ages and families. Be sure you see the manta rays after the show! read more

We really wanted to like this luau but too many 'lows' to balance out the 'highs'. Not the $500 value we were hoping for. Enjoyed the imu ceremony, especially the morning segment. Very warm people who took their time in explaining the history, culture, and process...lovely, particularly the 'prayer' being chanted, looking out to the ocean. The actual luau is in a beautiful sunset location...nice musical group (loud if you're up front) playing while the buffet is going on. Food was adequate but nothing special. We'd advise that you get your dessert at the same time as your main course, otherwise you'll probably miss out altogether. Cocktails are extra and pricy $$ after your initial welcoming drink. The 'show' was good, particularly the impressive fire dancer. The gorgeous outfits were stunning and the talent of the performers was excellent. However, the emcee added a cheap Vegas/cruise-ship element that detracted greatly from the overall Hawaiian cultural vibe...a total miss. Fun opportunity after the event to take photos with the performers...all were so accommodating and patient. Nice touch. read more

We opted out of the $65 per person buffet and just purchased $36 show tickets. Neither of us are big buffet fans The show was about 1 1/2 hours of continuous dancing They started with the beginning of Hawaiian history and came up to statehood. Bringing on Somoan and Tihitisn culture. The dancers all danced a lot and very hard. The flame twirler was quite the hit. He grabbed the flames several times Would still like to see another show to compare to read more

Mauna Kea Luau - Performing Arts Near Me - Kohala, Hawaii

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