The Mask-Querade Bar

Right, so here's a little slice of the absurd. As a woman who walked into what I thought was a…read moresafe, welcoming LGBTQ bar, I was met with a bizarre exclusion. The servers barely acknowledged me until I realized the unspoken dress code: apparently, tank tops were the golden ticket to decent service. If you dare to wear something else... well, don't expect much. So if you're not a tank-top person or good looking male, brace yourself for invisibility. And as if the universe hadn't already made its point, the nachos I ordered were a soggy disaster. They stumbled out late like they were still figuring out if they even wanted to exist and somehow managed to be flavorless puddles of disappointment. And, of course, even as I sat there with my sad plate, they still couldn't bring me a drink. Top-tier hospitality, if you're into being ignored.

Visiting from Ca. Workers and the peope were all friendly. Had a great time. Will come again when…read moreI visit. Kona.

Torahamstring

Neon sign at the bar

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Cheeky Tiki

4.2(252 reviews)

Our server was Kea and as somebody who enjoyed a drink out of the mermaid glass, I think that Kea…read moreabsolutely deserves the mermaid glass for her to birthday next month!!! Thanks for awesome service! Will be coming back to try more!

We went for a stroll along the strip and all of a sudden we were hungry for lunch. My son and his…read moregirl friend checked out the menu the other day and wanted to try this place out. We were seated immediately and as we were waiting for our server, my wife and friend were close by and wanted to meet us. We asked if we can move to a larger table and they were good! Our server was excellant with all the food choices for my son with allergies and checked with the kitchen just to be sure. I ordered the Duo Bao with Fried Shrimp and a side of fries. As for Pupus we ordered the Mac N Cheese Balls and Vegetable Empanadas. The appetizers came in quickly and they were hot and fresh. The Mac N Cheese balls were really good! It was coated w/ panko so it was really crunchy and had guava BBQ sauce along with sriracha sauce and topped with green onions. I must say it was very good. I loved the Veggie Empanadas! It had a balanced blend of the blackbeans, corn, jalapenos, onion and cheese sauce. The crust was handmade and yummy, Next is my Dua Bao with Fried Shrimp. The homemade sauce was sweet and balanced the dish with the pickled onions. I really loved the serrano peppers. The fries were good! Overall, from service to the foof, it was great!

Fun Tiki Glass

Fresh hair on my curly fries

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Pacific 19 Mai Tai

Da Shark Shack

4.2(132 reviews)

Consistently. Great Ono bites. Awesome bartender-Adam. Talks with ya, works his ass off, pours…read moreawesome drinks - ask for his skinny margarita which is delicious. Or the Mai tai which is best on the island. Burgers are spot on. Great selection of beers and TEQUILA. Hang at the bar. It's the best!!

Low key open air tavern feel with great outdoor seating with view of the ocean across the street…read more Food is so so but not exorbitantly priced. Nice casual stop for a couple drinks if you want a view of the water without paying out the nose. The geckos will eat your marachino cherry.

Locally sourced ingredients

Adobo egg rolls (lumpia) withe chili sauce

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Blue hawaii

The Temple Kitchen + Bar

4.4(172 reviews)

0.5 mi

Outdoor seating

Amazing food! Jennifer was patient, informative, and incredibly kind, which made the experience…read moreeven better. The food overall was awesome. The tri-tip tacos were just okay for me -- next time I'd probably try them with chicken instead. The ʻulu was absolutely delicious and definitely a standout dish. Sat looking at the ocean !! Nice

Loved the Temple Kichen and Bar. The star of the show here is their Flatbreads and Meat. That is…read morewhat they are known for. Came in on a 4 PM Saturday afternoon after 7 hours of travel. Ravenous and throat parched, the pictures for The Temple drew us in. Restaurant was empty save a family of 6 sitting in the corner. To summarize the experience the food tasted as delicious as it looked. Service was spot on. Skip the barbecue chicken tacos they were overrated. Our server warned against it but we were feeling chicken. It was a mid dish. The star of the show was the Calabrese Flatbread. It was phenomenal. Really tasty, ample cheese, marinara sauce, with large chunks of sausage that were so flavorful. The potatoes we got were supposed to be island potatoes and tasted okay with lots of Chimmichuri Sauce. Ask for more on the side to dip the potatoes in. Kona beer on tap, Michelob in bottles, and some nice house drinks to round it off. Their dessert selection looked tasty, but so full that stomach was hurting after the meal. Will be back again if I'm in the area!

Changed up the patio with actually comfortable tables and chairs! Looks great

Kona Kanpachi Ceviche

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Prime-cut seared ribeye with house made Chimichurri

Sam's Hideaway

4.7(164 reviews)

•$

The Bartender Gregory all round great personality…read more Himself is ideal customer service attitude

First, it's hard to find. But after being there I think they want it that way. The karaoke DJ…read morefavored the locals, the tourists barely got to sing, I felt like this was a locals only bar, tourists are welcome to buy drinks, but don't expect to sing at this karaoke bar. It's too bad too, because the vibe was good, and it was 40% tourist. Not like it was 100% locals juicing the vibe. I felt like the 40% tourists were more electric than the locals, but the locals got to sing 90% of the songs. Bottom line, if it wasn't for a good bartender would give a lower rating. The guy running the karaoke at this karaoke bar favors the regulars, which I understand, but it also means tourists feel unappreciated and left out. If you want to sing, stay out. If you want to hear locals sing this is your place. For example, one local lady sang 5 times in 2 hours, I put in 2 requests and got to sing 1. So if you want to hear other people sing and get treated like an unwanted tourist, this is the place for you.

Jesstin maybe spell wrong but she is good bartender and very nice . Remind me " PINK"

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Aloha Vibes

4.1(195 reviews)

0.3 mi

Locally owned & operated

Discounts available

We've come here quite a few times during our 2 month work trip for happy hour. It's a beautiful…read moreview and normally great service. however, during our recent visit we witnessed one of the chefs talking very poorly about their staff and customers. We always love to support small businesses everywhere we travel to. However, we will no longer be supporting or recommending this place if that's how they treat their employees. Sad to hear because our server/bartender was very accommodating. I hope they find people who appreciate their employees and can learn how to be more professional.

Aloha Vibes is a must visit. It's a small restaurant with a fantastic view of the ocean…read more We started with the edamame & shrimp ceviche and it was the perfect way to start. Both dishes were packed with flavor. The coconut shrimp and fish tacos were just as amazing! But the star of the night was the chef's special Swordfish. It was cooked perfectly, tender and flavorful and one of the best swordfish meals I've had in a very long time. The quality of the food , the fresh ingredients and attention to detail really stood out. Highly recommend trying but make reservations!

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Spinners Kailua Cantina

4.6(53 reviews)

This spot is super laid back - walk up and order and bring your cocktails outside to lounge and…read morelook out at the ocean. I thought it was a fun spot to hangout and chill, enjoy drinks and vibe on island time. I got the ube pina - ube is so good.

If you ever found yourself at one of those slushy shot bars during your early-20s travel days, this…read moreplace will spark instant nostalgia. It's Kona's take on that vibe, and I have to say: it still hits. Grab a swing (literally some chairs are swings), sip a cocktail or a jello pouch (a slurpable jello shot), and let the cocktail do its thing. We recommend the tropical itch.

Seating

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Dolphin Spit Saloon

4.2(92 reviews)

•$

Always our first stop after landing before heading to the condo. Drinks are great. People are…read moreawesome. Their shirts and stickers are pretty sick too

Alec/Kobe provides amazing service and the drinks are amazing. I love the music and vibe when I…read morecome here.

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On The Rocks

3.8(2k reviews)

0.7 mi

Thank you to the GUYS of On the Rocks! We have spent 2 months on the Big Island and have visited On…read morethe Rocks more than we probably should have! The bartenders, every one of them, deserve 10 stars. They are so welcoming and make you feel like great friends! Thank you all for making our trip extra fun! Your Az Bud Light buddies!

the food was delicious. i got the pork sandwich (ate it before i remembered to take a picture) and…read moreit was delicious. my lava flow and my aunts pina colada were both great. the ambiance is fabulous with live music every night and you are right up on the sand watching the sunset and the waves. the only disappointment for me was our server. the service was INCREDIBLY slow and when we asked her to take a couple cups out of the way because we were running out of space on the table she rolled her eyes at us. she also didn't come back to check on us between the time we got our drinks and halfway through our meal which was unfortunate because we probably would've ordered a couple more rounds of drinks had she been back. * edit : servers name is amani. she disappeared every time we needed her all night. she dropped our checks and didn't come back for like 20 mins even though we immediately put our cards down. she wasn't friendly and she also didn't let us know it would be an up charge to sub fries for salad. she was rude and absent most the night and definitely put a damper on the experience.

First Kona Fish Tacos

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Ka'lua (Baked) Pork Nachos

Don's Mai Tai Bar

3.8(319 reviews)

0.7 mi

This is a great bar with great food and beautiful views. The Mai Tai's are one of the best!…read more I've been here before and I decided to come back. This time was just for the Mai Tai and some poki nachos. The Poki nachos were good and had really good flavor. The service was nice. She sat us at the Terrace and we enjoyed the waves and the views. Our drinks and food came out rather promptly.

Don's Mai tai bar holds a very dear place to my heart! So many amazing sunsets and happy hours…read morespent here. The view is impossible to beat. During my last visit here, we had amazing service and the best salad I've ever had in my life. The fish was fried to perfection without being overly oily, and everything about it was sooooo delish. I would fly back just for the salad and a Mai tai.