Food was good. We arrived at 10:08 am and they were already serving lunch. I had a fried egg sandwich and it was good. Everyone in our group enjoyed their meals. Restaurant is very close to airport which was good as that was our next step. read more

Cute, local, hole in the wall spot- tucked into the corner of a strip mall. Walk in, get in line (looked long but moved fast and food came out quickly enough!). Your name will be called at the counter when food is ready. Spam and eggs sandwich on white toast was perfection. Macaroni salad was a classic including tuna and fantastic flavor- could have just had a bowl of that lunch and been happy. Large, convenient (no charge!) parking lot. Recommend, 5 stars read more

Still a fan of Pine Tree Cafe! Huge portions of good food at a good price. Last month when we visited, I called ahead which was perfect to just walk in and get our food without a wait. We really enjoyed the "HOMEMADE YOSHINO HAMBURGER STEAK - Two Homemade Hamburger Patties with Grilled Mushrooms, Onions and Brown Gravy $16.95" It's basically the best ever loco moco without the eggs but with mushrooms. Onolocious! read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Yoshino hamburger steak - SO GOOD! (mac salad included in a separate container) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Solid plate-lunch place - good food (and lots of it) and good prices. Close to the airport, so we opted for this after picking up travelers. Lots of typical dishes, plus a board of specials. I had the spicy garlic chicken with white rice and green salad. It wasn't super spicy - but flavorful. The salad was huge (and also packaged separately from the hot food - I wound up saving it for lunch the next day. My son had the grilled cheese, which was a knockout-looking sandwich. I might even have it next time! Socially-distanced indoor dining, a few outdoor tables, and takeaway. Dinnertime wait on a weekday was not very long. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Green salad instead of Mac salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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The sampler Pine Tree platter was ok. If I could order again I would order only the katsu. The teriyaki beef was very chewy. Maybe I ordered the wrong dish because this place got good ratings. Very Covid safe here as they ask you to sanitize your hands upon entering and there are signs on the floor for social distancing. There is a plastic wall up between you and the counter. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Social distance markers - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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A visit to Hawai'i is not complete without sampling a plate lunch! Pine Tree Cafe is conveniently located less than 10 minutes from the Kona International Airport with tons of free parking. They have a HUGE menu so I try to make it a habit and look over their menu before stepping foot in the door. Of course when I get there I always have to browse their "specials" board and quite often need a bit more time to decide what to order. The staff are always friendly and never get annoyed if i'm being indecisive! My go-to items to order are the breakfast burrito with portuguese sausage, Loco Moco, Korean Chicken plate, Kalbi Shortrib plate or Mahi Mahi plate. The average wait for you food to be ready is 15 minutes so if you plan on dining in, you can use that time to look for a table because it is always busy! Otherwise, you can phone in your order and take your food to Kohanaiki beach which is across the street to enjoy your food with a view. The prices are reasonable considering the portions are large and so far everything i've had hits the spot. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Spicy garlic chicken plate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Really early morning and needed a quick breakfast. It was the closest store nearby and had a great selection.

Was visiting from CA about a month ago, didn't have a chance to write a review. But, our brother brought us by here right before we started our day. The establishment was open for indoor seating with social distancing. I ordered the Hawaiian staple Loco Moco. I'm was a big fan of this. The burger was cooked to perfection and the gravy was very savory and tasty. As soon as I cut into the egg yolk, it completed the whole dish. This was a perfect way to start our day prior to going to the beach. I'd like to give this place 5 stars and would highly advise to visit if you're in the big island. Our friends enjoyed their food as well and were very happy. Prior to leaving, our buddy told us they make little to go containers for the beach days. We ordered masubi and chicken wings. This was perfect to soak up all the alcohol at the beach. Overall this place rocked. MAHALO! read more

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My wife and I were looking for a place to eat breakfast driving from Waikoloa to Kona. Found this place across from the airport. Loved the locally sourced eggs over easy. Beautiful color and taste. Portugese sausage was terrific. My wife was very happy with her eggs medium and spam of course. Nothing fancy, order at the counter, and seat yourself. The food was great and the service was friendly. read more

Just eat here. It's so good and so accessible. My favorites: Yoshino burger, the Yoshino hamburger steak, and all the breakfast options. The condiment bar is even better as they have jars of marmalade and peanut butter. Literally, everyone can be content! read more

Excellent food, counter service is good and fairly quick. They have big menu with lots of local dishes. We go for the deluxe burgers which are the best we've had anywhere on our island. read more

The food is the Real deal for local Hawaiian food. Hawaiian, Korean and Japanese all in one place, this description is for new arrivals to the Hawaiian Islands. Conveniently located next to the KOA airport. Quantity and quality is priced right. Ordering Service is quick but because of the popularity of the place your order may take some time. You can sit and eat but many use it as a take out to eat at the beach or etc. Or take it on the plane for that return home trip. I alway come at least once on my trips to the Big island. Usually when I first arrive and when I leave. I am from San Francisco for reference. There is no Hawaiian food in SF that can compare. read more

Cashier was friendly. The spam Musubi was delish. The place has a huge selection and everything is made fresh. The place is clean. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Our favorite restaurant for true local Hawaiian cuisine. We've been here for breakfast and lunch and plan to come back at least one more time before we fly home. read more

Korean chicken was super good but 6 wings seemed small for 19$. Would definitely order again read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Korean chicken - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

A few minutes away from Kona international airport, this cafe seems to be locals' favorite diner. We had dinners here two days in a row. Why? Food were delicious and reasonably priced. They have variety of burgers priced under $7 and plates around $14 that came with 2 sides (fries, salad, mashed potatoes and potato mac salad. They don't discount the quality of their food tho. We tried shoyu chicken - so juicy and the meat just fell off bones. Beef stew was also tasty. Mahi mahi was a bit dry but overall, good meals for two starving adults! Oh, portion of their plates were huge! There's typically wait cuz it's a popular spot. Indoor and outdoor seatings available. Sauce packs and water were available. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Beef stew and mahi mahi. Fries were good. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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This is a fantastic spot!! You get a ton of food for the value. My bf got the double loco moco and it basically gave him 3 meals, it was massive! I ordered the fried rice with an egg for breakfast and it was the perfect portion size (I wasn't too stuffed!), so tasty and the egg was cooked to perfection *chef's kiss.* I will 100% come back here for another meal during our vacation! read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Double Loco Moco breakfast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Sure, restaurants in Waimea like Merriman's are too notch, but Pine Tree Cafe is the place I miss when I leave the island. I'd probably eat here every week if I were a local. read more

Long lines. This spot is quite famous among the locals too. Went here because we asked the Dollar rental staff where is the nest place to go that's near the airport. We got the spicy garlic chicken and the loco moco. The gravy on the loco moco was really good. The hamburger patties was good too. The spicy garlic chicken was okay. It was just a bit too sweet for my taste. But i am sure some people will like it. Portions are good. Pricing is good too. read more

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Please don't waste time looking for a good plate lunch spot, because you've found it. On our recent trip, my partner and I ate here twice and honestly I wish we had time for additional visits. We loved the garlic chicken and short ribs, but every item on the menu looks amazing. The staff is SO nice and clearly cares about your experience and enjoyment of the food, which can be hard to convey at a place where you're ordering at the counter. Definitely stop here if you're in Kona! read more

Came here straight after landing and wanted to eat at a local spot. When my party of 4 walked in there was no line. They are open for in door seating and have additional seating outside. We ordered the fried poke at the recommendation of the cashier. This dish comes in two options either raw or fried. We opted for the fried option, at first we were taken off guard by the new texture and thought it was a bit strange. Although a fun option next time we might stick to the original fresh poke option. The seafood platter came with fried squid, shrimps, and oysters. The batter was light and stuck to the seafood well. A stand out item was the oysters, they tasted so fresh. The squid was also delicious and had a good chew to it. The fried fish was also not oily and quite yummy. This spot had a good section of dipping sauces to chose from. My favorites were the garlic chili and the hot pepper water. Would love to return and try some other dishes as we saw lots of people ordering the burgers. read more

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I didn't stand in line long to order but I did wait about 25 minutes to get my food. The chicken wasn't spicy at all! The chicken had a sweet taste! I didn't care for it. The ribs were rubbery. They could've been cooked longer. The potatoes and gravy were the best thing on the plate! They have plenty items on the menu. I will try something different next time ! read more

The Pine Tree Cafe has been a go to place to have some good local food while making the trek over to Kona and have not been disappointed...until our last visit there. Having previously visited the cafe during lunch rush hour, we purposely went later in the afternoon. As expected, the line wasn't as long so that was a plus. We ordered a burger, a BLT sandwich, and a curry chicken katsu plate which was on the list of daily specials. The order was paid for and also included a reasonable gratuity. We grabbed our fountain drinks and went to an open table to wait for my name to be called. As I'm waiting near the front entrance, I'm able to see patrons coming and going. While waiting, I saw customers coming in after placing our order, receiving their order, sitting down to eat, and then leave. The wait time was at 25 minutes now. I went to ask if my name was called. The counter guy informed me that the order was waiting for the chicken katsu so I walked back and continued to wait. A group of golfers also placed their orders and were waiting patiently as well and their order was ready for them. I walked back up to the counter and asked again on the status of the order and informed the counter person that I was waiting over 30 minutes. The golfer who picked up their order told me he knew I was waiting a long time and noticed me waiting when they walked in. My name was called a minute after the golfers picked up their order. I didn't expect any apologies nor did I receive one. Now I fully understand the current state of affairs with staffing but this incident was disappointing to say the least. We had the BLT and burger in the cafe and enjoyed them. We took the chicken katsu home for dinner as I peaked into the tray, I saw a huge serving of what appeared to be thick pieces of curry chicken katsu and two scoops of brown rice and at the time, was pleased as I'm a huge fan of chicken katsu anyway. After driving to the other side of the island, I was hungry again. I opened the tray up and to my dismay, saw that the breading on both sides of the chicken pieces, yes pieces, NOT a patty, was at least a quarter to to half an inch thick!!! Don't get me wrong, I'll likely return To the Pine Tree Cafe as I normally have their turkey club which is huge and awesome!!! But the combination of the lengthy wait and the disappointment with the curry chicken katsu was unacceptable. I'm hoping that if and when we decide to return to the cafe, I'll stick with what I know would be a tasty meal. I've attached a couple pictures for reference and hope changes are made to this particular menu item. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - There's thin pieces of chicken between the thick layer of breading on the curry chicken katsu special. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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I'm from Hilo and after a Costco run, my son took me to have lunch at Pine Tree. I've got to say the chicken cutlet with white gravy was the best cutlet and gravy I've ever had! Seriously. Juicy, tender, real chicken covered with obviously homemade gravy. Their tossed salad that came with the meal was generous and fresh. I tasted my son's Mac salad with tuna and that was really good too. He had the chicken Katsu and that was also juicy--not thrown in a deep fryer and cooked to a crisp like most take-out places. Next time I'm in Kona, I will for sure go there again. Gonna spread the word in Hilo! read more

September 6, 2022 - Tuesday This location was a referral from one of our coworkers from Oahu who used to live in Kona, HI. After reviewing the location on Yelp seems like a great spot to get grab n go items since we were planning to cruise around the island. It wasn't as crowded when we pulled up to the location which was great since we found parking. No one was in line to order just had people seated waiting for their orders. Menus are HUGE on the wall, still kept their divider glass between you & the cashier & some employees still wore a mask for their safety. Unfortunately we arrived when breakfast had already been done servicing, which was at 10AM. But it's ok we found other options to choose from that was still good. OUR ORDER: Deluxe Cheeseburger NO Sauce with Tomato; Onion & Lettuce. Side order Fries Teri Beef Sandwich w/Lettuce, Onions & Tomato Katsu Dip + Spicy Garlic Chicken w/White rice + Potato Mac Fountain Drink Katsu was pretty good and I usually pick Katsu since it's the safe choice at a local restaurant but this one I enjoyed. I'd give an 10/10 for that small portion I had in my plate. Spicy Garlic Chicken- I was intrigued by the photos I've seen from Yelp. I was also hesitant because I can't handle spicy BUT I figure WHY NOT as long as I have water near by I should be good. Lol but I have no regrets this chicken was sauce they have is pretty dope too. 10/10 Potato Mac- wasn't my favorite which usually I Judge because that's another fave I look forward too. I guess it's because it had tuna + green peas and wasn't too my liking. 1/10 Overall the burgers was pretty good definitely too our likings. Fries was a hit as well. We ordered a fountain drink thinking the Fruit punch option was working but that was unavailable which was ok since we opted for Mt. dew. This location is very spacious gives bright colors, menu can be overwhelming along with the different specials they run daily. Employees didn't seem that friendly; it was like the energy didn't match the atmosphere. This is why I've settled for 3 stars. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Deluxe Cheeseburger ; NO Sauce + Lettuce + Tomato + Onion - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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A fav place where the Locals go located minutes away from the Kona airport. I have been here on several occasions and this place does not disappoint. Pictured is the 3 egg fried rice plate for $12.00 which I ordered for breakfast. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - 3 egg fried rice - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Love this place for lunch! The food is terrific and the service is very quick. Very popular place though so if you wanna go for lunch, you'll either have to get there before or after the rush. But trust me, it is worth it! read more

This place is 10 mins away from the airport. Great place to stop by after a long flight. The menu is huge and can be overwhelming. Lots of things to choose from. The workers were so kind and helpful. My family of 5 ordered: *bandana nut bread pudding *chicken katsu *pine tree bento box *spicy garlic chicken *korean fried chicken and ahi tuna combo. We got white rice and Mac salad as a side. Mac salad was delicious! Good flavor. White rice was a little hard and cold but not a big deal. If you don't know what to get, I suggest the pine tree bento. Good variety and you get a little bit of everything. Drinks were refillable and there's plenty of tables for indoor dining and a few tables outside. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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You have to catch an early flight and there are very little options around the kona airport. One of the bellmen at our resort said, try this and thank goodness he did. its in an unassuming strip mall, same one the blue building with Kona Coffee, just about a half mile from the airport, perfect. you can get gas at Costco and then stop for breakfast. lots of locals seem to eat there. they have breakfast and lunch so time doesn't matter. its like a cafeteria. you walk up to the register and place your order, lots of choices, and then they call your name when its done. you can eat outside or in the cafe itself. the food comes in carry out containers and for sure is nothing fancy but tastes good. Both of us had omelets which were three eggs and seemed huge. we couldn't finish them. they come with choice of fried rice, white rice or two hash brown triangles which appeared to be deep fried. with the white rice and hash browns you also get toast. food came out of the kitchen piping hot and as I said it tasted good. we for sure will remember this every time we have an early flight from Kona read more

- Less than 10 minutes away from the airport. - Waited ~25 minutes for our order to be ready - There was a mix up with the chicken katsu order but they gave us a chicken katsu/Korean fried chicken plate to make up for it. - BREAKFAST ENDS @10am - Inside/ Outside seating... we had to grab two extra chairs for our table but didn't have a problem finding a spot inside. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Spicy garlic chicken 4/5 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

The juiciest, tastiest burger I had on the entire island. The beef, cheese, sauce, tomatoes, onions, lettuce -- everything was excellent. I don't think boyfriend enjoyed the fried tuna poke plate nearly as much. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Fried tuna plate $14.95. Also comes with mac salad. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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This place is across the street from the last gas station before you get to the Kona airport . The food is the best by far of any of the food I've eaten in Kona during my trip! I asked a local person when I was getting fuel for my rental car Where to eat and they pointed me in this direction. All of them! They were so right! . $16 for onion rings or fries, salad and the most delicious French dip sandwich ever. They were sold out of fried rice at 1 o'clock - it was packed with people so you know this food is great!! I would definitely suggest not ordering the sesame salad dressing because it was not my favorite. Still for the money and convenience relative to the airport , it was unbelievable! read more

Pine Tree Cafe is one of my favorite eateries on the Big Island. I love supporting local eateries. PTC is very busy. Lots of construction workers, contractors, electricians, etc buy breakfast , lunch I dinner for pau hana time. We went to PTC for lunch. Fried Ahi belly - 5/5 My wife ordered the fried Ahi belly. It was prepared tempura style. She loved this dish. The breading was light, not heavy at all. The ahi belly was so tender and not too fishy. The brown rice was prepped perfectly.... not hard or dry. Excellent selection! Chicken papaya plate - 4/5 This was actually chicken Papaya soup with rice and Mac salad (or another side of your choosing). There was lots of chicken wing pieces in my soup from drum winglets and wing flats. The papaya used must have been a mixture of green papaya and possibly regular papaya due to its orange color. The soup was tasty but needed more ginger. The soup was not salty and went well with the white rice. The Mac salad is not your typical Hawaiian style Mac salad, it was mixed with tuna for a unique flavor. PTC is an excellent local eatery. Venture out of your over priced resort and support excellent local dining establishments like PTC! read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Chicken papaya plate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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The first stop on your way from the airport into sunny Kailua-Kona town sits a beloved local favorite - Pine Tree Cafe. As soon as you step inside, you're enveloped in that signature island hospitality. The staff greet you with friendly "alohas" and the tantalizing aromas whet your appetite for a hearty plate lunch. It is the siser restaurant to Matsuyama's on the high road. Of all the mouthwatering options, the standout is undoubtedly the Katsu Dip. Tender chicken cutlets are coated in flavorful Japanese panko breadcrumbs then fried until golden brown and crisp. Rather than drizzle with the usual korean sauce, the cooks had the brilliant idea to smother the cutlets completley. Every bite bursts with that broke da mouth korean flavor added to the crunch of the crispy katsu. It's pure comfort food at its finest. As you savor this dish, nostalgia washes over you. Vivid memories resurface of manning the front counter, calling out the daily specials over Kapa FM radio to give locals a taste of what awaits them at Pine Tree Cafe. The Katsu Dip has been a staple on the menu for years, a tried and true customer favorite. With one bite, you're transported back to those days, filled with the Hawaiian warmth that Pine Tree Cafe has come to represent after all these years. The flavors and hospitality stand the test of time, giving this small cafe an everlasting place in the hearts of Kona residents. read more

This is a great local spot close to the Airport and frequented by locals that know good food and service. Its a large restaurant with lots of seating and tables. Everyone was really good about wearing masks as well as social distancing. The cafe has a cool local vibe with really good food. I ordered the Chicken Katsu Bowl with brown rice as I wasn't that hungry and it was really good and for $6.95 a great value. The Chicken was perfect and the Katsu sauce tasty. I also ordered the carrot cake and I was not disappointed at all. The flavors were just the right mix of carrots, spices and cream cheese. It was a pretty large piece for $4.95 and I should have ordered one to go. If you have time and you are in the area of the Airport, try the food at Pine Tree Cafe. I can't wait to go back for more. read more

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Pine tree cafe has the BEST food!! I frequent it here whenever I visit the island. So convenient after landing from a long flight. Sandwiches, loco mocos, saimin, etc. Everything is delicious here! My go-to place! I call ahead and place my order. The place gets busy, but the service is always good. They have some seating inside or a few tables outside. I usually pickup and go. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Spicy chicken - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

One of the few places to grab some local style food plate lunch or breakfast near the airport. It's very busy and took awhile to get the food maybe 15+ minutes. There are several tables inside and a few outside for general use. The portions weren't huge. It was ok food for the price. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - Corn beef hash eggs & rice $11.99 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

HORRIBLE, unfriendly staff, lukewarm food . I ordered corn beef hash because it had a good review, was disgusting. There was no corn beef to be seen, ground up potatoes and onions, no flavor. I have to say the two eggs were bright orange, which tells they were fresh. My husband ordered the French toast, cold pats of butter that did not melt on the lukewarm French toast, had to hunt for the syrup. We were given no instructions. Also I do not know why every place for breakfast serves in a to go container, that is thrown in to a landfill. I will never return on our Kona trips again. read more

Called ahead to order for food on way to beach had delicious and very generous hamburger and oni9n rings... yummy could have been split it's our go to place for beach food read more

The French toast is very tender, probably fully soaked in eggs. Scramble egg is also perfect. Very tasty breakfast. read more

Pine Tree Cafe - French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii