Amazing food! Jennifer was patient, informative, and incredibly kind, which made the experience even 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 read more

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Loved the Temple Kichen and Bar. The star of the show here is their Flatbreads and Meat. That is what 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! read more

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We stayed in Kona for 5 days and we went to this restaurant 3 times it was so good. The service was excellent and the food was even better. Everything we had was excellent. They use locally sourced ingredients and everything is made from scratch. We are very particular about what we eat and we hate cheap low quality food. The food at The Temple was a pleasant surprise. We highly recommend the Smokey Flatbread and the Backyard Pumpkin Salad. The location is also a big plus where we were able to watch the sunset on multiple nights. Definitely our favorite place in Kona. read more

We walked over one night as this was one of the only places open late on a weeknight. We were able to be seated right away since it was pretty quiet. The service was great and environment is casual, nice and open, good beach views. The food is a little pricey, but that's expected since it's right downtown near the beach. The tacos were not bad but nothing too special, and not very big. The pork was pretty good, nice and crispy. Overall not a bad choice if you need something to eat late at night. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Fried Pork Poke - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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I saw it said 8th best rated cheese burger in the US and it sounded dumb sooooooooooooo ya

This isn't about real estate! This is about food. But... Temple Kitchen has both! Bright and open to the air with modern decor and some outdoor seating, this place is a fantastic location to dine and enjoy the beautiful view of the pacific ocean. We got checked in at the resort we were staying at and decided to walk around until we were hungry enough then we stumbled upon this place. They seated us immediately on a Saturday night without reservation. The hostess and our waitress were both lovely. I got a glass of wine and my husband had a beer. We started with the kampachi ceviche which was prepared with cucumber, onion, cilantro, pineapple, lilikoi (passion fruit), chili oil, micro radish and aji amarillo. This was served with some nachos chips. Delicious and fresh tasting with just enough acidity to the dish. I had the pork belly poke served with onions, tomatoes and topped with ogo (red seaweed) which was fantastic, well seasoned and perfectly prepared. My husband had the baba ganoush which he tremendously enjoyed. We had another drink and then headed out after a super successful dinner. Our waitress was fantastic. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Pork belly poke - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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This is a difficult review to write as Temple Bar was our go-to for years. We visited so often that the staff (most of whom are now gone) knew us by name and knew our regular orders. Sadly, we've found ourselves going less and less over the past several months as the service and food quality have declined. This past Sunday, my best friend and I brought an out-of-town guest because we wanted to share one of our favorite restaurants with her. The host was pleasant, but after walking us past four available tables with great views - including outdoor and railing tables - he seated us in the back of the restaurant. When we politely asked if we could instead sit at one of the railing tables, his expression made it clear the request was an inconvenience, although he did accommodate us. We ordered many of our longtime favorites: the oyster mushrooms, roasted kabocha pumpkin, and the seared ribeye (medium rare). Unfortunately, every dish was disappointing. The $46 ribeye appetizer was overcooked, with several pieces completely well done instead of medium rare. The kabocha pumpkin was so undercooked that we couldn't even pierce it with a fork. The oyster mushrooms, once served in a generous, shareable bowl with a delicious sauce, arrived in what looked like a small side dish with very little of the flavorful sauce we remembered. Having spent 30+ years in the restaurant industry, I understand that kitchens can have an off night, and I'm always mindful before sending food back. When our server checked on us, we explained that the pumpkin was inedible and that we were disappointed with the other dishes as well. He kindly offered to remake the pumpkin, but we declined, deciding instead to finish what we could and simply share our feedback. He later returned and told us he, himself, would take care of the dishes we weren't happy with. We explained that we fully intended to pay for our meal and only wanted management to be aware of our experience. Instead, he immediately cleared every plate from the table - even though all of them still had food on them and we weren't finished eating. The three of us were so stunned that we didn't even know what to say. What appeared to be the manager remained seated at the bar throughout the entire interaction and never once came over to acknowledge the situation or speak with us. When the bill arrived, the pumpkin had been removed and a 10% discount applied. While we appreciated the gesture, no one offered to replace the food that had been taken away or even asked if we wanted the remaining food boxed to go. We paid our bill and left feeling disappointed, hungry, and honestly saddened. Temple Bar was once one of our favorite restaurants, and it's disappointing to see how much the experience has changed. We sincerely hope they can return to the level of food and hospitality that made us loyal customer for years. read more

4.5 star reviews as of Jan 2, 2026?? Really? It's kind of a joke. We were lured into this business by this greatly "misleading" rating so on our first night in the Big Island, only a stone's throw from or AirBnB property, we walked to it to try it out. Unfortunately though, We walked out of it with so much disappointment after having several of overly priced small portioned dishes with no quality. Pork Belly Poke's at $22 is a joke. The pork was dry. And why they named this dish "poke" is/was so hard to fathom; t's was more like a side salad that should have been $15. Ugh... Seared Oyster Mushrooms was one of the decent dishes out of everything and yet it was nowhere near impressive. Again, the portion was small. Oysters were okay-ish. Not bad. And yet calling them "decent" was the best opinion we could give it. After all, the only thing that was refreshing and enjoyable was the kombucha, Likikoi Booch Tea (LOL). Except this mocktail and the oysters, the two dishes above took forever to come out of the kitchen. The total bill of $75 at the end didn't even fill our empty stomachs. It sure wasn't worth the money and effort for our special dinner in the beautiful Big Island. It's right on the coastline of Oneo Bay so during the day, the view might be spectacular and yet if that's the only thing this place can boast about, then "No thanks" to it. Definitely one of the tourist traps. I do not recommend. read more

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Our plane didn't land until after 9 PM and this place saved us. We were able to order dinner at 10:15 pm with fantastic cocktails, and a view of the ocean. We were so impressed we came back for another dinner later in the week. Staff are very friendly and the food is high-quality and delicious. Fantastic addition to the restaurant options in this area ! Costco has gift cards right now too! $100 for $80 spend. read more

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SUPER good! And SUPER friendly staff! I've always driven past this place on Ali'i and wanted to give it a shot but sometimes parking in that area can be a bit rough. Some friends wanted to meet up there so we gave it a go and WOW! The view is superb and the drinks and food are 10/10!! (In fact it was all so good I couldn't get pictures quick enough lol) Will definitely be stopping by more often when I'm craving a good steak and perfect cocktails! The only thing I probably wouldn't get again is the pickle platter read more

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While on The Big Island my wife and I wanted to have a drink just to cool off. We came across The Temple in Kailua Kona and sat down for a couple of drinks. Middle of the day and a pretty good crowd for a bar. Again I ask. What do you people do on the Big Island that allows for this lifestyle. I want in! Anyway the menu caught our eye. Our 2 Drinks turned into a full on lunch. I ordered the Cubano Sandwich my wife had the Ceviche. Both terrific. But truly the hit was the appetizer of Seared Oyster Mushrooms. Very unique dish that we just destroyed. We thought we were just going to cool off but we discovered a great lunch spot with great food. A real sleeper. Don't let the name fool you. The Temple Bar is more than just a Bar it is a great place to eat. BTW. Hats off to the bartender that mixed an awesome Old Fashioned. Definitely Recommended. read more

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Erin was super cool service was amazing!! Food was tasty, lovely location for sunset. Drinks were on point. Charcuterie board was tasty but a little small the ceviche was really good. Portions were just small. :) read more

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Behold the $14 mojito with "mint". Did the shake dried mint into my drink or is this parsley? Can't tell. Not impressed. Why is this even on the menu? Poke was pretty good. Would come back for food but this place is very expensive for what it is. Solid three star. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Vodka lemon water rebranded as a "mojito". Love the rehydrated mint shards. Pass. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Service from Julie was stellar! The sunset ocean view is gorgeous. Garlic prawns were crunchy and saucy. Heads on for max flavor. Calabrese flatbread with hot honey was tasty. Caesar salad with anchovy filets spot on. The OG Mai Tai was tasty and strong in the best way. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - OG Mai Tai - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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I've been a fan of The Temple Bar in Hilo for many years, since even before they opened. I was glad to see they opened another location, this time on the Kona Coast in the old location of A-Bays. It's easy to walk here from many hotels, plus they have parking behind shared with the other bars and restaurants. They have a beautiful view of the ocean, great for sunsets or evening dining. This place has higher prices, but it's worth it for the ingredients and types of food you may not find elsewhere. It's all open air, with a bar in the middle and tables both outside and in. Our server was wonderful, accommodating our larger group and quick to please. I ordered a charcuterie tray, which was filled with great munchies. Their beer tap list isn't large, but it's a good selection of local and national beers. The final bill was a bit high, but for a special occasion it was worthwhile. read more

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5 for cocktails, 5 for location and view, 5 for service, 4 for food. Smaller dining area with small outdoor seating and amazing few of sunset on the water. I had two spectacular cocktails. Our waitress was attentive and helpful. The food is standard and good. Menu is limited for pickier groups. read more

One of the best places I have eaten in Kona and with a gorgeous ocean view! We were supposed to go somewhere else for brunch but my dad and partner came here and started drinking bloody Mary's. This spot offers brunch on the weekends and great drink specials! Who can pass up a $5 Bloody Mary? Especially when the Bloody Mary mix is made in-house? I'm pretty picky with bloody Mary's and I'm happy to say these are excellent and well-balanced with a nice amount of spice! My party ordered the steak hash, sliders, and breakfast burrito. Everything was super good! According to the server, everything is sourced locally -- naturally a huge plus. Service was excellent too. Great spot to visit to get truly delicious food that tastes fresh. Well done! read more

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Stopped by The Temple Kitchen + Bar in Kona and really enjoyed it. The food was solid across the board, it was well seasoned, nicely plated, and clearly made with care. Everything we tried tasted fresh and satisfying. The drinks were also a highlight. They were strong but well-balanced, which we definitely appreciated, and paired really nicely with the food. Add in the beautiful view, and it made the whole experience feel relaxed and special. Overall, it's a great spot if you're looking for good food, good drinks, and a nice atmosphere while in Kona. Would definitely come back. read more

Great service with a very friendly bartender that was accommodating. Food was good but would have liked a few more choices of finger foods. Went for drink and small plate in late afternoon. Very relaxing read more

A comically stingy charcuterie board for $15 but it cost $30. Here's some more words to meet the yelp minimum characters. Genuinely a rude thing to serve to someone with a straight face. Look at those cute little prepackaged cheddar squares read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Place is awesome! Staff could not be more friendly and welcoming. Cocktails are best on island I would recommend Paper Plane and Dill With It Martini! Wifey and I shared BLT salad, smoky flat bread and clams!!! Very good and leaving full. read more

Today, I had the pleasure of experiencing the exceptional food and drink service. The parking issue was effectively resolved by clocking in at Temple Bar. I highly recommend visiting this establishment; they provide comprehensive assistance with parking arrangements. Manager " Zach" and server gentleman and Ian" the general manager "" and the were very helpful and friendly. I highly recommend checking this place out !! read more

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Nice place. Sat on street with wonderful view. Healthy food. Good flatbreads and Fish taco's. read more

Visited twice while in Kona. Excellent food and very nice staff! Drinks were top notch and hand crafted as advertised.

Carpaccio, baba ghanoush, and mushrooms. Baba ghanoush was the favorite. The color was surprising but the flavor was spectacular! The maitai was great as well. Would recommend at sunset for a special treat. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Maitai sunset. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

The view 10/10!! The ceviche 10/10, I could not get enough, even the chips were amazing!! Carnitas tacos Maybe 7/10, but do not forget to add avocado, jalapeño and squeeze your lime!! Bread pudding 10/10!!! I was so happy with every bite. Micheal was our server and her was super nice. Made sure our food was made to our and had what we needed. Enjoyed the live music while watching the people walk by, watching the ocean waves and the gorgeous sunset. They also validate your parking. read more

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Decided to visit The Temple on a recent trip to Kona and were not disappointed. The Temple is right across the street from the beach with an unobstructed view of the coastline - great for sunset watching! The staff were super friendly and provided great recommendations as well as just the right amount of care. The food and drinks were exceptional - my husband had the tacos with thick slices of jalapeños for just the right amount of kick, and I had the baba ganoush which was both delicious and surprisingly filling. Would definitely recommend. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Ahi tacos - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Ambiance was good--nice place to watch football! Food was tasty we got the tri tip flatbread! And service was good! Right along the beach so it was nice at sunset! read more

Fabulous food! Incredible servers, bartenders, and chefs! Water front restaurant, with lovely ambiance! We will definitely return! read more

This is a nice looking restaurant with good food. The smoked chicken has really good flavor. The ceviche has good flavor but a very small portion and my chips were fried stuck together, not separated. But it is located across the street from the ocean so it has a great view! The experience would have been so much better if our server wasn't rude, she seemed irritated to have to wait on us and we had to find her to pay the bill and leave. I'm giving 4 stars only for the food and location. Sadly I will not return after the poor service at such a high end restaurant. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Smoked chicken tacos - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Cool open air bistro- bar at the waterfront edge of downtown Kona. Great service and food! Comfy padded seats too $$$ read more

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It's across the street from the ocean so it could be a nice place to grab drinks and enjoy the sunset. However I came here at night when the sun already set and the staff was very lackadaisical and slow. All we ended up ordering was the ice cream. Their homemade ice cream sounded great and the flavors were unique so we got a flight of four scoops for $18. Let me just tell you that these were the smallest scoops of ice cream I have ever seen. $18 is not cheap and I think even if they priced this at $10, I would have felt ripped off. The four scoops were in shot glasses and were probably smaller than a ping pong ball. The sorbet was very icy. Each "scoop" was essentially two bites and it was not worth it all. It also took them forever to take our order and then forever to serve the ice cream and we kept waiting for the check and the server literally never came so I walked up to the bar to pay. Unfortunately I cannot recommend this place. I recommend no one orders the ice cream as the serving sizes are pathetically small for the amount paid. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Flight of ice cream $18. Very tiny scoops, smaller than a ping pong ball. Not worth it at all. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Decided to stop by and see what took over the old A Bay location (haven't been on island for 4 years). Reviews seemed promising, so we gave it a shot. Parking has become a major issue in Kailua Kona area, but luckily, Temple validates. Came around sunset, place was near empty (must have been a slow day on Alii! Friendly greeting from the bartender...service kinda went south from there. Sat outside on the rail where your up close and personal with the street scene (always entertaining). Ordered our drinks, as it was happy hour, part of our brief Mai Tai crawl, came out promptly. Have to say, our server acted like she would rather be somewhere else...a little cold, but everyone has their days. We decided to do an app and move on. Ordered the garlic shrimp, giant prawns served complete (heads and all!). I am a major fan of ama ebi (sweet, raw shrimp that typically has the heads deep fried), so this prep was intriguing. Full of umami flavor, crunchy, tasty heads (not for everyone)...an excellent dish. We may give it another try on our yearly sojourn to the Big Island. Just hope she has a better day! read more

Drinks were very tasty best part of the meal. View is nice although the tables being so close to the sidewalk is a bit awkward with people staring at you going by. Great service . The food was a bit disappointing. Three sliders that were a bit over done and at $36 you expect a bit more or even a fry or two. The Calabrese flatbread was okay . The Tako salad we enjoyed the dressing but please cut the lettuce up instead of serving whole stalks . Would we return ? For drinks , view and service. read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Old fashioned and through the looking glass - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

Beautiful seating to watch the sunset. And Great cocktails! I particularly loved the Sandy Lei! Got to meet the owners whom it's named after, as well. Then...the food! So yummy! We also met the Head Chef... Kudos to her. Love the Bomb salad, yellowtail ceviche and the tri tip flat bread to name a few. They have only been on the Kona side about a year. They started on the Hilo side- look out for it over there too!;) So happy they have the Kona location so we can try it. You MUST go while there. Definitely worth it. We will be back! Thank you for a lovely evening. :)) read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Enjoying the comfy seats - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Excellent drinks and a great food menu. Service is always great as well. Great location on Ali'i Dr to people watch. Come for the cocktails!! read more

Best time ever! Food, service, & drinks are top notch! I had such a great time from when I walked in the door till we left. So much fun & good vibes. It's my favorite spot in town!!!:) read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Best Bar in town!!!! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

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Food taste is good. Ambiance and feel is great given outdoor seating with a fantastic view of sunsetting. read more

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The food was amazing and service was great!! I would absolutely love to come back. There are unique menu options and the staff is very welcoming, attentive, and kind. It's somewhere you can hang out eat and drink if you choose. It's right by the beach, so nice views and vibes read more

The Temple Kitchen + Bar - Toasted tako salad - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

The food was good. The service was good. As a local I will not return however until the black tables are replaced with something a human can actually sit at to eat their meal. You can't get both legs under the table comfortably because the legs are A-frame and trying to move the chairs is nearly impossible due to how sticky the floor and chair legs are against each other. When I left I had dents in my legs from trying to sit comfortably at dinner. Very uncomfortable those black high top tables need to go in the garbage bin. While we were there we almost spilled our drink trying to get comfortable at the table and we saw at least 2 other parties do the same. Additionally the food is served "as it's ready" from the kitchen which points to a lack of proper training and organization of the kitchen staff. This means your party won't get served together leaving someone waiting to eat while others chow down. All food should come out together. That's basic restaurant 101. Gordon Ramsay could drop in and maybe provide some feedback on this place that would help it out immensely. The server was very nice and when we voiced these points of feedback to them they said they hear it from guests a lot and tell management but management doesn't really care. That's problematic to hear Oh and the $145 steak dinner special that comes with no sides? At a bar? That's not a joke it's a real entree. And yes that's $36 for 3 small beef sliders. Also not a joke. The owners need to make some adjustments to the seating and menu but otherwise it's a great location and the food does taste good. read more

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