Dining Price Scale

Kona Village Resort, Kaupulehu-Kona  808/325-5555. The South Seas-style Kona Village Resort has one of the island's best luaus. The luau begins with the traditional removal of the roast pig from the imu (underground oven). Following this are cocktails and the luau feast, with an incredible buffet of Hawaiian and Polynesian foods, probably the grandest luau spread on the Big Island. A Polynesian performance of music and dance provides a stirring end to a memorable evening. Aloha attire preferred. $$$

Royal Kona Resort, 75-5852 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona  808/329-3111 - call for times. The luau includes an Aloha shell lei greeting and continuous island entertainment. Prior to the luau, there is the traditional opening of the imu (underground oven) and removal of the roast pig. The lavish buffet with authentic Hawaiian foods includes an open bar. A Polynesian review performance of song and dance follows. Reservations are suggested and Aloha attire preferred. $$$

Basil's Pizzeria & Ristorante, 75-5707 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona,  808/326-7836. The menu here is all Italian with pizza, pasta, seafood, eggplant parmegiana, sausage and peppers, chicken cacciatore. $

Ocean View Inn is in the heart of Kailua-Kona at 75-5683 Alii Drive, just down from Kailua Pier,  808/329-9998. This is a popular family restaurant with the locals. The menu is extensive, with Chinese, American, and Hawaiian food. Decor and ambience are simple and nothing fancy, but the food is good and plentiful. Go early for dinner as it gets crowded rapidly. $ 

Sam Choy's Restaurant, 73-5576 Kauhola Bay 1, Kaloko Industrial Park near the airport, Kailua-Kona  808/326-1545. This is one of Kona's most popular "local style" eateries. Sam, chef-owner, is something of a local media celebrity and has restaurants in Honolulu, Maui and Japan. The menu features excellent local-style cuisine with a distinct Hawai`i/Pacific Regional accent. Such things as tomato beef, teriyaki steak, chicken stir fry, fried fish, lau lau and lomi salmon are staples and there are daily specials. It's a little hard to find, but turn into the Kaloko Industrial Area as if you're going to Costco. Look for the Kauhola Street sign to locate the building. Well worth the search. $

Teshima's Restaurant, Highway 11, Honalo, Kona,  808/322-9140, seven miles south of Kailua-Kona. This neat, clean family restaurant features friendly old-fashioned service by the Teshima family. Specialties are Japanese-American cuisine and local favorites and the menu has something for everyone. Nothing fancy here, just decent country café food. $

Thai Rin Restaurant is streetside in the Alii Sunset Plaza, 75-5799 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona,  808/329-2929. This restaurant turns out great versions of trendy hot and spicy Thai cuisine. The menu features over two dozen items, including crispy fried noodles, chicken satay, three kinds of curry, spicy soups, Thai garlic shrimp, squid and much more. $

Kona Galley is on Alii Drive across from Kailua Pier, in the Seaside Shopping Mall upstairs,  808/329-5550. There are open-air views of Kailua Bay and nice sunsets. The continental-international menu features items like fresh catch, seafood, pasta, chicken, pizza, sandwiches. A nice location for casual dining. $$

Manna Korean BBQ, Crossroads Shopping Center, 75-1027 Henry, Kailua-Kona,  808/334-0880. This clean bright Korean lunch counter features generous servings of good Korean cuisine. Daily buffet hot table has kal bi, BBQ beef and chicken, chicken katsu, spicy pork, man doo, several soup and noodle dishes and other specials. Entrées get choice of four veggies and rice. This is a great bargain for good Korean food. $

Manago Hotel, Highway 11, Captain Cook, Kona,  808/323-2642. The dining room of this old family-operated hotel turns out good local-style food. There are Japanese-American specials like teriyaki, tempura, noodles, fried fish. No menu, just a chalkboard on the wall listing the day's fare. Good country-style cuisine. $

Hale Moana, Kaupulehu-Kona  808/325-5555 at the Kona Village Resort. This pleasant and airy dining room is the main restaurant for this South Seas-style resort. It overlooks the beach for lovely sunset dining and has an adjacent garden area for daily open-air lunch. The menu changes nightly and the cuisine includes American, European and Hawaiian accented specialties. Entrées include stir-fry shrimp, lobster and chicken with veggie noodles, mixed grill of steak, lamb chop and sausage, veal loin, roast duck, prime rib, pasta special and fresh island fish. The daily buffet lunch is a magnificent spread of salads, hot and cold entrées, grills and delectable desserts. Reservations required. $$$ 

Hale Samoa, Kaupulehu-Kona  808/325-5555 at the Kona Village Resort. This warm, intimate dining room features a Samoan motif complete with an outrigger canoe hanging from the ceiling and decorative crafts. The menu is surprisingly international and changes nightly. Entrées include fresh island fish, broiled prime striploin steak, lamb loin roast, buffalo filet, fresh opakapaka snapper and salmon, all done with an Asian-Pacific flair, plus a variety of creative appetizers, soups and salads. Attentive service in a romantic South Seas atmosphere is the tradition here. Gorgeous sunsets. Reservations are a must. $$ 

Oodles of Noodles, Crossroads Shopping Center, 75-1027 Henry, Kailua-Kona,  808/329-9222. This new eatery is the domain of Chef Amy Fergerson-Ota, noted local Kona resort chef. The menu features a number of exotic noodle dishes with creative preparations. Featured entrées include linguine puttanesca, seafood green curry cake noodle, Asian Peking duck, orzo risotto, curried coconut pork somen and much more. $$

Huggo's, 75-5828 Kahakai Road, Kailua-Kona  808/329-1493, next door to Royal Kona Resort. This open-air deck-style restaurant perched just above the shore and surf has the best location on Kailua Bay. Huggo's is one of those old-time restaurants that seems to have been there forever. They still serve up the freshest of island fish and seafood and excellent steaks. The mountain high dessert pies aren't bad either. Great sunsets go perfectly with great food. $$

The Kohala Coast, North Kohala, Waimea

Café Pesto, Kawaihae Center, Kawaihae  808/882-1071. This small Italian café offers a wide variety of pizza, pasta and risottos, hot sandwiches, calzones, and other specialties. $$

Great Wall Chop Suey, Waimea Center, Highway 19, Waimea,  808/885-7252. The Cantonese food offered is excellent in quality and quantity. There is a full selection of beef, pork, chicken, seafood, and noodle dishes. $

Maha's Café, Waimea Center, Highway 19, Waimea, in the historic Spencer House,  808/885-3633. This small café shares space with Cook's Discoveries, a unique Hawaiiana gift shop. The café specializes in light gourmet breakfasts, lunches and afternoon snacks. Lunch features Waipi`o Ways combo of broiled island fish and steamed taro, sweet potato, garden greens, plus fresh-made turkey, tuna, ahi, lamb or veggie sandwiches, Kohala Harvest chef's salad, and luscious desserts. $

Nori's Saimin Too, 64-1035 Mamalahoa Highway, Ululani Plaza, Waimea,  808/885-9133. This country diner, like their original Hilo outlet, features a wide variety of noodle dishes and take out items, including loco moco, BBQ chicken sticks, teriyaki beef, burgers, sandwiches and daily specials. $

Paniolo Country Inn, Kawaihae Road, Waimea,  808/885-4377. This country café has rustic ranch-style decor and ambiance. The menu features a variety of burgers and sandwiches, BBQ ribs, chicken, pasta, Mexican food, and pizza. There is a large collection of branding irons from Big Island ranches decorating the walls and a beautiful aquarium with Hawaiian reef fish that will interest youngsters. $$

Young's Kal-Bi, Waimea Center, Highway 19, Waimea,  808/885-8440. The main feature here is good Korean cuisine served in ample portions. The menu lists kal-bi ribs, BBQ beef, Korean chicken, chicken katsu, mandoo (Korean won ton), fish. Clean, attractive location, simple decor; eat here or take out. $

Edelweiss, Highway 19, Kawaihae Road, Waimea,  808/885-6800. This rustic chalet-style inn fits in with the cool upcountry ranch climate of Kamuela. It has a distinct Alpine air and features wonderful continental-international cuisine. Specialties include weinerschnitzel, Black Forest chicken, venison ragu, German sausage plates, veal, several varieties of fresh island seafood and other creative dishes. Master Chef Hans-Peter Hager ensures a pleasant dining experience. Great food and pleasant service. No reservations. Credit cards. $$

Kohala Village Restaurant, intersection of Hwys 250-270 in Hawi,  808/889-0105. This country coffee shop features sandwiches, salads, and entrées such as chicken stirfry, red pesto pasta, Honolulu fried noodles, fried rice, Oriental chicken salad. $

Kamuela Provision Company, Hilton Waikoloa Village, Kohala Coast,  808/885-1234. This lovely open-air restaurant situated on a bluff overlooks the Kohala Coast surf and shoreline. The decor is provincial Thailand-Malaysian, with greenery, artwork, and multi-leveled rooms much like a Thai-Malaysian house. The menu features Asian/Pacific-inspired seafood, steaks, fresh island fish, pasta and exotic desserts. Reservations suggested. $$

Batik, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Kohala Coast,  808/882-7222. This is the hotel's acclaimed fine dining room. The menu features European cuisine inspired by Provence, with many classic selections, plus creative appetizers, soups, and salads and an extensive wine list. First class service and a pleasant dining experience are standard. Reservations suggested. $$$ 

Bay Terrace, Bay Terrace , Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, Kohala Coast,  808/885-6622. This open-air garden terrace restaurant provides a delightful dining atmosphere. The menu is continental-international, featuring several choices of beef, fresh island fish, seafood, chicken, lamb, and other specialties. There is a daily lavish lunch buffet and the Sunday buffet is especially nice, with many Japanese and Oriental specialties. The Friday and Saturday night seafood buffet is excellent, with superb entrées, salads and dessert bar. Reservations recommended. $$$

Canoe House, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel, Kohala Coast,  808/885-6622. This pleasant open-air oceanside dining room specializes in Asian-Pacific cuisine. The food and service are superb. The menu features creative appetizers such as sashimi and poke, baby back ribs, Chinese won tons, eggplant curry; entrée selections include fresh seared mahimahi, hibachi salmon, pesto seared scallops, grilled marinated ono, New Zealand lamb chops, Thai seafood curry and many others. Reservations suggested; credit cards. $$$

Merriman's, Opelo Plaza, Highway 19, Waimea,  808/885-6822. This is Chef Peter Merriman's original Big Island restaurant. He is a leader in the Hawaiian Regional culinary trend of using local products in creative cookery. His Maui restaurant is also well known. The menu here features Parker Ranch prime rib (house special), fresh island fish, cioppino, steaks, veal, Kahua Ranch lamb, chicken and daily specials, plus appetizers, soups, salads and exotic desserts. Reservations suggested; credit cards. $$$

Roy's Waikoloa Bar & Grill, Waikoloa Beach Resort, Kings' Shops Center,  808/885-4321. This is the Big Island outlet of celebrity chef Roy Yamaguchi's widely acclaimed restaurant chain. The cuisine is similar to the trendy local Regional Cuisine and culinary approach of his restaurants in Hawai`i and internationally. The emphasis is on combining fresh local products with creative cookery methods. The menu features such dishes as macadamia nut crusted mahimahi, sesame seared opakapaka, lemongrass shutome & blackened ahi, Mongolian lamb, garlic herb chicken. $$$

The Grill, The Orchid at Mauna Lani Hotel, Kohala Coast,  808/885-2000. This hotel fine dining room has the atmosphere of a plush country manor house and offers continental/Hawaiian Regional Cuisine. Menu selections include fresh pastas and appetizers, fresh island fish, steak, lamb, veal, Maine lobster, Hawaiian fisherman's stew. Fine service and quality cuisine are standards. Reservations suggested. $$$ 

The Pavilion, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Kohala Coast,  808/882-7222. This well-known dining room features creative continental-international gourmet cuisine. A complete wine selection complements the gourmet fare. Live contemporary dinner music lends a relaxed atmosphere to a pleasant evening. Reservations suggested. $$$

Tiare Room, Outrigger Waikoloan Resort, Kohala Coast,  808/885-6789. The contemporary elegant decor of this hotel fine dining room makes for a most pleasant ambiance. The menu features continental and international fare, including fresh island fish, Pacific salmon, lobster, beef tenderloin, New York steak, veal, lamb, venison, chicken and pasta, plus appetizers, soups and salads. Good food and attentive service. Reservations suggested; credit cards. $$$

Hilo & the Hamakua Coast

Jolene's Kau Kau Korner, in Honoka`a at the intersection of Lehua and Mamane Streets,  808/775-9498. This nicely renovated small town café is clean and bright with simple decor and lace window curtains. The menu features mahimahi, shrimp tempura, seafood platter, beef teriyaki, New York steak, captain's plate, chicken katsu,, plus burgers, sandwiches, salads and desserts. $

Don's Grill, 485 Hinano Street, Hilo,  808/935-9099. This pleasant family restaurant is consistently one of Hilo's best inexpensive dining options. The menu features beef, chicken, pork chops, fish, sandwiches, burgers