Don's Mai Tai Bar

Good service, good food and good drinks. The complimentary mai tais were really good and the setting with ocean views, audible waves and ocen breeze is great. Definitely worth stopping by, especially if you're staying at the Royal Kona.

The sunset view is magnificent from this ideal Kona location. The food and service were much better than many of the other reviews had mentioned experiencing. We loved the Short Ribs with truffle mashed potatoes. Perfectly flavored, tender meat. The potatoes are onolicious! My son gave his $25 Smash burger a 4.1 out of 5 - which was his highest rating for a burger on this trip - and he had quite a few. The coconut prawns were delicious- a little small and plenty (!) of sweet chili sauce but nice crunch and coconut flavor. My only let down was the Ribeye steak ($42). The cut, texture and juiciness just didn’t match up with a Ribeye. Perhaps it was 100% grass fed as it was very lean. It didn’t have the eye of fat or striation of fat that help the tenderness. It seemed more like a New York with extra meat trim on the side. The sauce however was delicious and the truffle mashed potatoes were divine. Jacob was an excellent server and his kind and thoughtful manner added a lot to the meal. Overall = recommended for at least one dinner and maybe a few happy hours.

This experience made us even more believers in "context dependent drink preferences" The cocktails, food and service felt perfectly matched to the atmosphere Dayne (the bartender) provided with Aloha style service as we received our Mai Tais and Ono served with Okinawan mashed potatoes. All this, while we watched the sunset, feeling the ocean breeze to the sounds of waves crashing on the lava and the Luau next door.

Absolutely great location right on the waterfront. Beautiful sunsets from here. The drinks were watered down as could be expected. The food was OK nothing outstanding we came for the view.

Fantastic food and even better views. As guests at the Royal Kona, we dined and drank here a couple times. Glorious cocktails. Delicious food. Unique to the area too. Most places on Ali'i seem to follow a similar menu-plan with different variations of the same ingredients...but Don's has some seriously good food. The wings were a pleasant surprise. Didnt expect much and they blew me away. Crispy. Meaty. Saucy. Delicious. The grilled goat cheese and pork and tomato bisque was top notch. May have been the best ive had, ever. Anywhere. The burger was very good as well. Best mai this in the area, bar none. Whatever the lava tube drink is, just get it. Doesn't matter. Its amazing. Happy hour is 4 to 6 daily. Unbeatable for the views alone.

What a location! The view and atmosphere are fantastic but that’s where it ends. They should up their game, in food and drink. Beer was served warm in plastic cups. The water served in paper cups. Appetizers were not good at all. Calamari was cold, greasy and bland. Cocktail sauce was awful, but the Tartar sauce was okay. Poké nachos were a miss on flavour, even the nacho chips weren’t good and way too salty. Harbour House had far better food quality and flavours, plus served beer in frosty cold schooners - food and drink are a WOW over there.

The first night I visited the waitress was nice but service was very slow. My food came out at the same time as a table that ordered after me and ordered more food than me. I had a traditional mai tai and the garlic-parm wings with waffle fries. The food was average at best. I went another night to the bar to order a drink while I waited for my takeaway order and the waitress took a long time make it. Typically, at a bar, when you order they start making the drink. Instead she talked to other people at the bar and made drinks for the servers, then just as I was giving up and walking away she made my drink. I sat on the couch in front of the hostess while waiting for my food, the hostess got my food, and it sat there for 10 minutes before she called me over. She looked right at me and still waited to call me over. That night I had the pulled pork sliders and the sweet potato mac salad and both were amazing, so the food is definitely hit or miss. In spite of that I can't recommend this restaurant.

We enjoyed our meal here! We sat right by the water which was great. I DEFINITELY recommend the sushi bombs!! So yummy and fresh! I ordered the street tacos, which were great with the sauces. My husband ordered the burger, which he was disappointed with. We sent it back and he got fish and chips instead, which he enjoyed a lot more!! The staff was great about making sure we were satisfied!