Sunset Kai Lanai

Went twice this last week with my friend who is a local. I am from Seattle. The calamari truly was the best I have ever had. Thick calamari. I chose a side of the lemon aioli for dipping. Wonderful and looking forward to going again on my next visit to Kona.

The location is great, but the food and service were terrible (except for the hostess). My mojito was super strong, and the kids' mac and cheese was awful – like the cheap boxed kind. My seafood didn't taste fresh, and my husband's ribs came with bad potatoes. The server seemed totally uninterested and didn't even look at us. I wouldn't recommend it.

Positives: parking was easy, close to our resort Negatives: bagged salad, bagged cheese shreds, bagged croutons. Ribeye was well over half fat. Service wasn't great. No drink refills (not a huge deal but it was cumulative) all the food was pretty much brought all at once, plates were never cleared, rosemary bread had two little leaves on the plate, bland unsalted butter. The soda was ok. Not at all what to expect from a $100 meal.

Everything about this place was immaculate. It is so cute and vibey! Anywhere you sit you’ll have a beautiful view. The menu items looked so good I had a hard time choosing. I ended up getting the luau burger and it was so yummy! 🤍 the waiter offered to hold my baby while I ate, literally so sweet! Everybody seemed like they loved their job 🤗 the prices were fair!

Excellent place to celebrate our anniversary. Our server Pinao was attentive and smiling, always nearby, making certain our time there was enjoyable. We had a beautiful sunset too! Mahalo to the staff and kitchen. The calimari was the best I’ve ever had and the drinks were amazing. Finished the meal by sharing a gigantic slice of key lime pie

Lovely views from the patio, perfect spot to catch a sunset. Happy hour prices are great and there was live music. The one downside was service was on the slow side, which may have been due to staffing, our waitress had a number of tables.

Very popular restaurant. The view is so beautiful during the sunset. Food are awesome. Reasonable price.

Sunset Kai Lanai has a fun vibe with friendly staff! I went here for drinks one evening and was pleased to see a nice drink menu. I ordered the Lava Flow and it was very yummy, a little on the sweet side. One thing to note is that this restaurant was very busy and we were only able to get in and sit at the bar because we just wanted a drink. I would probably book a reservation to secure a spot beforehand.

We made reservations for 6:15 PM hoping to catch the sunset, but weren’t actually seated until around 6:45. To be fair, they were extremely busy and it did feel a bit understaffed, so while the wait was longer than expected, it seemed more like a volume issue than anything intentional. If you’re aiming for golden hour, I’d recommend arriving a little earlier than your reservation time just in case. Once we were seated, though, the evening really turned around. The view was beautiful and exactly what you’d hope for from a waterfront dinner in Kona. Service picked up quickly from there and we were able to relax and enjoy the experience. They offer several mai tai options and the house mai tai was excellent. Well balanced, strong without being overpowering, and easily one of the better ones we’ve had on the island. The blue crab dip was super delicious, slightly on the salty side but paired well with the chips and definitely something I’d order again. We also tried the seafood trio, which was a nice way to sample a few different items in smaller portions. Everything was fresh and thoughtfully prepared. My husband ordered the fish and chips and said it was one of the best he’s ever had, which is high praise coming from him. Crisp batter, flaky fish, and not greasy. Overall, despite the initial wait, dinner ended up being a really enjoyable experience with great views, solid cocktails, and well executed seafood. If you plan ahead for timing and sunset, it’s a memorable spot for a Kona evening.

Our favorite restaurant while visiting Hawai’i. Food was very good. Best calamari we’ve ever had. Mai Tais were strong and tasty. Sunset view was lovely. Key Lime pie delish! Great date night place. Douglas was also a great waiter. All open air seating with a view.