staff is friendly, store is clean, food is good, variety of options, price is somewhat reasonable, plaza parking read more

See all

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. Actually, I always feel like having macadamia nuts! I'm nuts for these nuts! We stopped by the shop and were amazed by all the different flavors of macadamia nuts Mauna Loa had available. There are some tasty varieties you won't be able to find on the mainland so I stocked up on a few! I loved that you can have free samples of any of the flavors and the person giving out samples was very nice and friendly. The sriracha honey was one of my favorites and I liked that they offered other varieties such as cookies and cream, mango chipotle as well as Kona coffee glazed. They also have unsalted macadamia nuts for a good price too if you buy a multi-can set. If getting macadamia nuts at a macadamia nut factory isn't your thing, have no fear! They also sell general Hawaii gift shop items and there's a jewelry area. I did get a bit annoyed that I bought a bag, thinking it was a good deal, only to find out they were selling it cheaper when we went to the local Foodland in Haleiwa a few days later! Go figure. read more

See all

Cute little stop to check out their selection. They give you a few samples when you walk in but the staff who handed em out didn't have that Island love feeling. The ice cream is worth the stop! It's Vegan and so so delish! The woman who checked us out did have that Island warm feeling and she was super sweet when she spoke about her fav ice cream flavor. read more

This is not a factory tour anymore. It's an overpriced gift shop that has a seating area that plays a video on repeat showing what happens in the factory. Ignore all the old photos showing people walking to viewing glasses of the factory - those are in the past. There is a short nature walk which you would assume would cover various stages of Macademia tree growth or similar. Wrong, it's just a poorly labeled collection of various plants/trees. There are no unique flavors or items I noticed here either - standard commercial stuff from any Hawaii store and at possibly even higher prices here. Most coffee farms know how to do tours so it's clearly a choice on the behalf of Mauna Loa nut company. Absolute hard skip - not worth your time driving to it or visiting. read more

Despite the most recent reviews I had a great time when I visited! I was immediately greeted by Karen who offered me samples, provided me with a brief explanation on how the nuts were harvested, and explained a bit about the property. She then suggested I take a look at the local items they sell there, go on the nature walk to check out all the fruit trees, and to take a picture at their photo booth set up there! I did not once feel pressured to buy anything but simply to explore and have a great time! The items are a bit expensive but I splurged and got a bag to share with a family member! Karen needs a raise because she is the best!! read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

See all

Terrible food quality. And worse customer service. They should be ashamed So sad. Terrible. read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Terrible product and even worse customer service. We got a NASTY piece of something in our bag of expensive nuts. - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

We didn't even know we would be driving past until we past the sign for the visitor center. So we did a U turn and went back. Hey we're on vaca and thought we are here why not be total tourist. The drive thought the grove was impressing, then the visitor center was very impressive. The person that greeted us was very friendly and knowledgeable and showed us all the stages of the Macadamia nut and gave us some free samples. Also took us on a tour of the tropical gardens and encouraged us to pick some star fruit from their tree. It was worth the stop and yes we did pickup some Macadamia nuts right from the source. read more

This is definitely a good tourist spot if you're visiting the Big Island. It's located on the Hilo side of the island. If you're staying in Kona it's about an hour drive. You can tour the factory to see how they package the macadamia nuts. There's a souvenir shop that sells all the varieties of macadamia nuts and you can sample them all. They have some discounts if you buy a lot. They also have some souvenirs you can buy. There's plenty of free parking. read more

I've been here a couple of times now. It is on the Hilo side of the Big Island. It's a bit touristy but it's still kinda cool. They have a small tour that you can take yourself where you see the plant and the workers working. They also have a small gift shop that sells souvenirs, nuts, chocolates and even some jewelry, oh and ice cream. Lots of free parking in the back. read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

See all

If you are coming back from the Volcanoes National Park, of course this is a must stop on your way back to Hilo. A short 2 mile drive off of the main road is the Nut Factory where you can take a self guided tour of the packing facility, and the gift shop. In the shop you can try samples of the nuts as well as buy many other souvenirs as well. Don't miss the Macadamia Nut Ice cream outside on the back patio. It's simply marvelous and has a very distinct nut flavor which you can't get anywhere else. And be sure to take a picture with the big blow up Nut in the front entryway before you leave! read more

See all

Hawaii is a good place to go nuts. Many people are familiar with the Mauna Loa brand found in supermarkets across the world, so it's fun to visit the factory and store near Hilo on the big island of Hawaii. Parking is decent, but the place is popular with bus and taxi tours and can get overwhelmed. The factory tour is self guided with television displays. The facility is a little small, but they do process a lot of nuts here. You can also walk a small nature trail behind the store which is really nice with a lot of tropical plants. There is a small snack bar out back top selling ice cream, sandwiches, and beverages. The main attraction is the factory store. Prices are not that great at the store with better deals elsewhere, but you can get some special flavors and the combinations are a good deal. It's a fun stop heading back from the volcano for a special souvenir. read more

See all

This used to be a decent company with a fair product. Under the original owners I would give it an 8 out of 10. When Hersey bought them it dropped to 7 but was still edible. Hawaiian Host is the current owner. The product has deteriorated to the point that it is unfit for consumption. The broken and small nuts are bad enough but the rancid ones are horrible. I had two bags in a row that were horrid. I called them three times over three weeks before I made a contact. I told them they own me the product. they listened politely and then told me there was nothing they could do. They only get a one so it rates. A zero is actually more like it. The nuts are so bad they might make a person ill. read more

There are no tours, but it was still worth the visit. Large gift shop offers free samples. I would have liked to have purchased a T-shirt, but the only size they had were size small. They didn't have any ice cream either. The garden was nice. Be sure to grab a map that is at the door to the garden so you can identify the plants. There were no macs on the ground that day to pick up. The video playing outside in the patio is excellent. read more

My husband and I came here on a whim. I was searching for chocolate on Yelp, and Mauna Loa came up. We decided to venture to the factory and possibly get some gifts to bring home. The factory was kind of far, and you pass all these mac nuts as you drive up to the factory. It's cool to see so many mac trees though. Amazing! The factory is a self guided tour. You go up the stairs and you can look inside the factory where employees are bagging the various goodies. You can press a button to hear some cool facts about the farm. It'll take you about 5-10 mins to do the self tour. Go inside the store and you can get samples galore. It wasn't busy when we went, but after taking the self guided tour, a tour bus came. The ladies inside the store were very nice and welcoming. They offered samples and more samples to our hearts desire. We ended up buying several items for ourselves and gifts to bring back home. My husband bought an ice cream cone from the back area since you can buy snacks. There is a little sitting area and a nice little garden out back. Such a neat place esp if you love chocolate and mac nut! read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Mac Nut!!! - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

We came on a Friday afternoon and were very disappointed. The "self guided tour" is literally stairs you go up and look through windows into the factory. There were not signs or anything to tell you what would be happening if they weren't cleaning. The cookie kitchen was also not operating and there were no signs with times. Lastly the visitor center is just a store. No videos, no pictures, nothing. Oh and ZERO free samples, just grumpy looking ladies talking to each other and not even greeting you when you enter. It really reminded me of those road side tourist traps you drive past on the mainland. I would say, that unless you have an idea of when they are being active, avoid stopping by and buy the products at the regular store. read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

See all

Bottom Line: A tourist trap but there is still something alluring about a gift shop with deals on mac nuts. I actually find agriculture fascinating so I wish I could get a legit walking tour of the orchard and factory but I think the most Mauna Loa offers is the chance to look inside the factory windows. Even though a tour wasn't an option I still felt compelled to check out the gift shop when I was in Hilo. I will say that Mauna Loa is very generous with samples. We tried the different flavors of mac nuts, some candy and shortbread cookies. In the end we ended up buying a variety pack of nuts. With nuts in hand we were on our way. read more

See all

Mauna Loa Mac farm has nostalgia for me because my grandma used to work here and as a kid I'd watch my grandma through factory windows as she finished up her shift. So happy when I brought my family because you can still do that and there was some workers waving to us from the inside. It's gotten touristy over the years with the large retail store but the place still has charm with its original factory buildings. There is also a nice small walking garden in the back of the store and an outdoor area where you can buy ice cream treats. The only complaint I have was the lady who gave out samples seemed kinda grouchy (it's makes you not want to ask for samples). They should consider putting someone friendlier who smiles but otherwise this is a nice stop to look at the farm and factory. read more

This is the quintessential tourist destination, and will actually show you very little about the Hawaiian culture and history. This is more of a huge promotion of their cash crop, the macadamia nut. Your first clue is in the parking lot, there are spaces drawn out for larger tour buses. The signage in the front is another photo op for first timers (me included) Once inside, you're immediately bombarded with merchandise. Be it their famous flavored mac nuts, to chocolate covered mac nuts, cofee beans and what appears to be pearls. Samples are offered to anyone who wants to try the different flavors. Prices are fair, but a bit higher than places like Don Quiote or Walmart in Honolulu. But if Hilo is your ownly stop, buy what you want here. The self guided tour is nothing much more than walking up a platform and peeking through the windows like a pervert, down at the workers in different stages of the nut production. Through the whole tour, I had hoped someone will be waiting at the end and hand be a ton of sampler bags. Didn't happen. Between the store and the factory where the tour takes place is a separate building for the cookies. Again, I'm peeking at them through the glass. They all pretend not to notice any of the dorky tourists acting like they're witnessing a miracle. Overall, it's part of the Hawaii commerce and it helps their economy, so I'm all for it. But it's very unlikely that I'll return. read more

See all

Large nut shop, nice view of the factory on the self guided tour. The factory tour is outside so enjoy that humidity. It's a nice drive thru the nut trees to the building, several interesting farm facts posted along the road. Free samples inside are doled out of as many flavors as you wish to try. So many funny T-shirt opportunities missed though. read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

All 3 stars for the ice cream! Get it! The coconut one especially! I got the double coconut and chocolate for $5.25. The tour is short. That's about it. Haha. You do get to samples some Mac nuts. Heard you can get cheaper for the Mac nuts at Costco. Going to Costco after this. Will update. read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

A total tourist trap, but fun at the same time. They are generous with their samples, spooning them out to you one at a time. The self guided factory tour wasn't open when we were there so we loaded up on nuts to gift to friends and family at home, then wandered about their gardens. The flowers are pretty and it was a lovely afternoon. At the very least, check out the grounds. read more

See all

The service, ambiance and food is great definitely worth driving in the farm and try their products read more

Do not buy their macadamias with choc in a plastic container (they used to be in a tin can). There is hardly any mac nuts just a little balls of chocolate. There's probably 4 full mac nuts, the rest are small pieces covered with chocolate. They are as small as a raisins. Thumbs down! Will not go back again. read more

I enjoy coming here to get my Macadamia Nut ice cream it's the best place to get it. Also come here to buy some candy and nuts. read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - If you come here you have to get some ice cream. Chocolate Macadamia Nut ice cream and Vanilla with Macadamia Nut ice cream. - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

Nice visitor center and outdoor garden you can walk around. Factory tour is currently not available.

So, unfortunately, we were not very impressed with this tour. My bad for not looking more into it before driving almost 2 hours to go there. My party was visiting from RI & my brother-in-law loves macadamia nuts, so touring the factory seemed like an obvious thing to do. We were initially excited when we saw an adorable giant inflated macadamia nut perfectly positioned for a touristy photo op. But, sadly, the excitement ended there. The "tour" was completely self guided & a complete waste of time. You climbed a set of stairs that took you to a series of windows into which you could look down to view certain parts of the factory. There was supposed to be a video to explain what we were looking at, but it wasn't working; there was a sign directing us to view it in the gift shop. There was also a "photo gallery"....and by photo gallery, they meant a few posters with the evolution of the brand development. Another wast of time. We next went to the gift shop. #overpriced! The only good thing I got out of it was that I got to sample a lot of different flavors that were new to me. They tried to sell us some, but we had seen many of the exact same items at the Walmart near our hotel for several dollars less/bag, so we didn't buy any there. And that video promised by the tour...not running. The cashier seemed nice, as did the woman handing out the samples. Unfortunately, this was just a colossal waste for us. Wish I knew before we drove all that way...sigh... read more

Great selection of nuts, cookies, and merchandise. Incredibly friendly staff. Plentiful with sampling of macadamia nuts. They have a free self guided tour while they are not having renovations. There are cute photo spots out front of a giant Mac nut guy and a carton of the newest salted Mac nuts. Very fun road trip stop, and great location close to Volcano National Park!! read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

I just received an order for roasted macadamia nuts with sea salt, six pack although the expiration date was good and they were sealed the nuts were rancid. Just horrible. read more

My family and I visited Mauna Loa today. When we walked in we received a lovely greeting by Lana and Malia. They gave us free samples of several different flavors of macadamia nuts. Absolutely delicious! Lana and Malia were very professional and outgoing. Encouraged us to stay a while to visit the garden area in the back and go across the way to look at the factory windows to see the history of Mauna Loa. ( Due to the Christmas holidays the factory was closed.) It was a great read to see how it's done. We went back inside to purchase several different items for gifts and us of course! They also have ice cream you can purchase in quart size I believe. We were told by Jeremiah the manager they are selling the DAIRY FREE ice cream at Costco and Whole Foods. We had the Carmel macadamia. It was delicious! Jeremiah was chatting with us about all the wonderful things going at Mauna Loa and what he hopes they will be doing in the future. Just an FYI, I noticed another review that referenced not knowing Mauna Loa didn't take cash. There is a sign on the front door they take credit cards only. read more

See all

There are few things in life that you cannot miss visiting. One of those places is the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut world headquarters. You get to see the production area. I would have loved if they would have a guided tour while I was there last month. I am sure that there is a reason why they do not allow it. But still, it was a pleasure to see how they are manufactured. Besides their self guided tours, they also have a gift shop and a snack bar. I had both the coconut and chocolate flavored Macadamia Nut ice cream. It was excellent. And not pricey. Who else out there will leave Mauna Loa without buying something? No one! There are many things that you can purchase in the gift shop. It is a place that you must visit whenever you are planning to visit Hawaii. read more

See all

Incredibly disappointing. This is basically a store, that's it. You drive through the fields on your way in, but that's it just a drive. Upon arrival there is the store and then a small factory where you can do a self guided tour. This is basically a walk up a set of stair and across a platform where you can look down onto the factory floor. Then you walk down the other side and past the cookie making building into the store. There were TVs on the platform like there may have been some education value on their processes there but they weren't on. There was no information on the farm, the trees, the process, the reason this company exists. I did all the investigating on my own after we left. I will say they are generous with their samples and we stood at the counter and tried them all. This was mainly because there was only a handful of people in there. If it were more crowded this likely wouldn't have been the case. So, just be ready to shop here since that's all you can really do! read more

See all

" Nice Place With Nice Employees " The Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut factory is a must see if you are touring around the island of Hilo. We spent about an hour at the factory walking around and looking at where the Macadamia Nuts are actual boxed up for sale. They also have very nice employees giving samples inside the store of all different kinds of Macadamia Nut products. YUM ! They also have an outside covered restaurant seating area where you can enjoy some lunch items if you want. We would definitely go back to Mauna Loa. read more

See all

You can get mac nuts just about anywhere. The only reason worth going to the factory is that you'll get to sample and buy more of the unique flavors: wasabi and teriyaki, sour cream and onions, kona coffee, etc. aside from that, this factory is just whatever. read more

See all

2 miles of macadamia trees after you turn on their sign. The prices are the same in walmart! lol. They give you samples (not like the one in Oahu where the samples are in a small bowl). They have 2 cute air filled macadamia can and nut for pictures out the front store. read more

Went and visited the other day after they finally reopened the doors to the visitor center! Was very excited to see such an updated building. Of course you have all the Macadamia Nuts at your fingertips that anyone would want to have. Since going pre remodel and pre Covid to the center I feel like it has just became a spot to buy the mac nuts now. When we talked to the lady at the counter they are working on getting the patio ready so they will have the ice cream again and have that as an option as well. As stated there is nothing else to see there are two or three windows where you can see packaging happening and no information besides the peeling stickers covering the windows. There use to be tvs talking about the farm as well. I was upset with the way the trucker pulling out of the farm was driving like. We were driving down the road enjoying the scene and this trucker came flying down the road and swerving behind us because he was in a hurry I guess. read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

BE CAREFUL!! First time just tried Mauna Loa Macadamia Frozen Milk Desert -Rocky Road to Hana Ice Cream. 5th bite in I bit into a 1/4" by 1/8" NUT SHELL!! I directly spoke to a Manager who had a indifferent attitude. He was not helpful or understanding. I felt like he didn't take the situation serious. My first time will be my last time. BE AWARE!! read more

Basically a gift shop and tasting room. One can view the production through second story windows. No explanations or descriptions. Plenty of tastes! We bought ice cream and enjoyed the nature walk trail. read more

See all

I really enjoyed walking around the store and looking at all the different macadamia nut chocolates they were selling. Ice cream was yummy. And they do sell hot dogs, chip bags and soda for snacks too. It is best to come here early because parking is limited. read more

See all

Sort of a disappointment here as it is only a very short self guided tour, in which you walk up a flight of stairs and progressively look through windows of the processing plant to see what the various areas do. There is a fairly big gift shop that carries every imaginable kind of mac nut product around. They do give out free samples, and there is a small snack bar outside. The best part? You can take your picture with a huge inflatable mac nut mascot. read more

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Keaau, Hawaii

See all

Essentially just a gift shop targeted towards tourists. There's an outside area in the back where you can buy some other goodies such as ice cream and take a walk onto the grass to look at the plants and the trees with the smelly fruit. There's a self-guided tour as well, where you basically peer through the factory windows to see what's going on and read some informational boards as you go. It's not the best information I've read and some things weren't clear, but then again they aren't trying to help you learn, they're trying to sell their mac nuts. Overall, if you don't plan on purchasing anything, you shouldn't have to spend more than 30 minutes here. Good place to kill time though. read more

See all