Halani

First of all, the resort is grand and impressive. Dinner was amazing. Great food, atmosphere, and service. The complimentary rolls, octopus salad, shrimp pizza, squid ink pasta with prawns, local catch fish, ice cream/sorbet. Parking was valet and dinner gets you 3hr of validated parking.

I cannot say enough about how perfect our experience was here! First off, the location was absolutely gorgeous. The open-air hotel lobby and lounge spaces were gorgeous and very modern. Once we got to the outdoor restaurant, the location there was beautiful also! Perfectly situated by the pool and we arrived right as the sun was setting. Second, we were pleasantly surprised that there was beautiful live music. We loved the artist! (see video) She greatly contributed to a wonderful ambiance. The restaurant was expensive, but we were more than happy to pay for the pleasant experience of being there. I tend to not eat meat, so I ordered the mushroom cauliflower bolognese (made with cauliflower and mushrooms instead of beef). I didn’t particularly like it because of the oregano, but that was definitely on me and not the restaurant. I stole some of my aunt’s lobster mac and cheese and my gosh it was fantastic!!

Beautiful location and ambiance. Great food and presentation. Service was great too. Great place for a special dinner

Outstanding meal and location. I ate their cheeseburger with all the optional fixings (lobster claw included!). It was delicious. They have a special version of their take on a Mai Thai and it’s delicious. Valet parking is validated by the restaurant and good for up to 3 hours time. My wife enjoyed her meal quite a bit as well. Time your reservation for sunset and you will get quite a show with the ocean view!

We just had the best dinner here. The atmosphere, food, service and view were all 10/10. Truly a perfect night!

Very expensive, but can't recommend this bar and restaurant enough! The restaurant is all open air so it feels like you are sitting outside but you are protected by the overhang and umbrellas. Gorgeous setting. We ate here for breakfast and dinner and the service and food were exceptional. We stayed at the resort and breakfast buffet was included with the room, otherwise the breakfast buffet would cost $55 per adult. They have made-to-order omelettes and waffles, acai bowls, yogurt parfaits, and a whole table of yummy foods from fresh fruit to fried rice, ahi poke, pancakes, and French toast. For those interested in lighter fare, they had pastries, English muffins, bagels, and oatmeal. Dinner was delicious. The fried calamari appetizer was some of the best we have ever had. We ordered the shrimp pizza and beet salad for our entrees; the pizza was incredibly tasty (and so was the salad), but the beet salad had maybe 6 tiny beet pieces and some nice cheese for $22. It was a very tiny portion, so not worth it for the price. We got the PB & J mouse and cheesecake for dessert and they were out of this world. The PB mousse tasted richly of peanut butter and the cheesecake was incredibly smooth. Drinks were so pricey--starting at $20. We did buy them a few times because it was our honeymoon, and they were the best drinks we have ever had. So if you are okay paying that price, definitely get them! The mai thai and martini were incredible! All the bar tenders, hosts, and servers were super friendly and professional.

May 2023: Celebrated my birthday 🎉🎂 here for dinner. We were sat outside and had the best server! She was knowledgeable, very warm and attentive. I felt super special! I started with a local beer 🍺 and the crab 🦀 cake. This was delicious! For my main, I had the seasonal local catch which was the kanpachi. The fish tasted very fresh and was seasoned well. Would definitely get this dish again 👍. I was pleasantly surprised with a birthday cake 🍰. I thought the white cake with berries was fantastic. I would order a slice if this was on the dessert menu. Thank you for a fabulous dinner celebration!

I think it's the best restaurant in Hawaii. Poke nacho is especially great.The luxurious atmosphere and dedicated staff make the restaurant more valuable. You can do valet parking at the entrance of the hotel, and you can get a parking ticket approved by the restaurant staff.

I come to Halani every time I’m in Hawaii. Their whole Kona kanpachi is one of my favorite things I’ve ever eaten. This restaurant is so considerate of dietary restrictions. Their whole menu can be made gluten free, and they have a separate menu for vegans with great options. Their cocktails are also delicious, and the vibe is great. Our server Angie was so sweet and attentive to our party’s dietary restrictions. We loved the live musician and hula dancer as well!

Went here for breakfast and enjoyed such a wonderful meal! The ambiance is gorgeous outdoor seating by the outdoor bar and pool. We ordered a peaberry French press, taro pancakes and the short rib Loco moco- insanely well done and delicious! The waitstaff was kind and lovely to us. Such a beautiful place to dine and enjoy this side of the island! Take a walk around the property- it's gorgeous!

Only had breakfast at Hālani during our stay. Tried the buffet option and the a la carte. Relatively quick service and many options to choose from. Loved the ube pancake! Bright and colorful! Pricey with breakfast for two a bit over $100

This place was pure magic to me. The food was incredible, down to the fruit and drinks. The ambiance was a dream. Pretty birds flying in and out, stunning plants surrounding, and lovely simple decor. I hope to go back!!

The food was really good. The Mac & Cheese was really good. The mac had a full-on cut-up lobster claw for only 40. Considering that this is Hawaii, it is a good deal. For appetizers, we ordered a bunch of stuff that I do not remember what it was. While we were eating, a cat ran across the middle of the restaurant.

A lovely outdoor setting within the Mauna Lani hotel. We had a great dinner starting with the balloon bread, salad and entrees, all of which were very good. Our server was friendly and attentive. We would certainly return should we come this way again.

The Ube Pina Colada is a MUST try, do not miss this drink, and in a paradise where you will find many variationsof a Mai Tai, Ha Bar has got a signature staple that was unrivaled in my time in Hawaii. You have to try the Lobster Mac and Cheese. This is an incredibly delicious dish. You cannot go wrong with the Seasonal Catch option, octopus for our evening and it was grilled to perfection. Our waitress also brought us a complimentary dessert to celebrate our anniversary. Cannot recommend this place enough. I wish we had been able to book our stay in Hawaii here instead! Will try next time

Amazing experience! My wife and I had AN AMAZING lunch here at Halani with the friendly staff for our 1st year anniversary. Randall was an amazing help, and the food was home. Definitely recommend, including 10/10 service

We had a wonderful experience at Halani! The atmosphere was great, and the food was absolutely delicious. What made it even better was the outstanding service we received from Kiana—she was so attentive, kind, and made sure everything was perfect throughout our visit. She truly went above and beyond, and her warm hospitality made our dining experience memorable. Highly recommend Halani, and a big thank you to Kiana for making our visit so enjoyable!

This is the BEST restaurant on Big Island among 15 I have tried. The dishes are so delicious and we love the ambiance. A little pricy but it worths.

I've never had a bad dinner here. The food is spectacular, the venue is open air and elegant and the staff is the best. Try the bread balloon paired with the baba ganoush. All the pizzas are incredible as well as the fish options. My only gripe is the cost for the baba ganoush. It's a very small dish and costs something like $12? Other than that, you can't go wrong here. I will continue going back to Halani again and again. My favorite restaurant on the North Kohala coast.

visited with my fiance & ordered the katsu burger and blackened fresh catch. both were very delicious! ordered a whiskey sour which was tasy but STRONG. valet parked is validated, making it a real perk to visit the luxurious hotel & walk around.

Amazing dinner! We arrived without a reservation and got seated in a nice quiet table with the lovely low music playing, and a perfect setting for an enjoyable evening. The food was amazing. The service was impeccable and the value was awesome which we did not expect at such a nice resort.

What better way to enjoy your breakfast than in this beautiful venue, overlooking the resort and ocean. The staff were SO kind and the food was regularly restocked. Fruits were delicious, omelette station was great, plenty of local favourites as well.

Highly recommend! We had an exceptional meal at HaLani. Everything was delicious and flavourful. Top items included the trio of dips and bread, Halloumi, Cacio Pepe, Cauliflower and Pavlova. The restaurant is beautiful and the service was great.

Inside the Auberge. Food is good. Try the Ahi Steak. Service was slow, and why I am giving it 4 stars. Ambience is fantastic. Part inside, part outside. A great Hawaiian vibe.

The best part about this place is the service and the atmosphere, the restaurant is located inside the resort, the service is top notch, they made you feel special even thought I didn’t stay there. The food is okay, ordered the mix green salad (average), prawns on the side (average) Brussels sprouts (below average), lobster Mac and cheese (very good). The beach is amazing, they let us walk around the resort it is so beautiful, would definitely come back and stay here next time.

Vibe, scenery, service, all did not disappoint. Our waiter (Jason) was very knowledgeable and friendly. We ordered the whole fish (yellowtail). Hands down, it was worth the price. Me and my wife did damage.😎

First time visiting Halani for my anniversary. Beautiful hotel and truly the feeling of Hawai'i as you enter! 3 hr valet is included with validated ticket... The drinks are well crafted but priced higher than even other resorts on Kohala Coast. The service was absolutely top-notch and the tables well laid out to allow for quiet conversation without overhearing other tables. The menu is broad and likely has something for everyone but to be honest the flavors were a little underwhelming. My wife's seared Ahi on coconut curry couscous was spectacular but my braised short rib didn't have any of the truffle flavor it advertised but rather a lot of raw panko crumbs poured over it... I enjoyed the evening but I will likely go elsewhere in the future for my celebration meals at this price point.

Staff is incredibly warm and attentive. Try the roasted jalapeno mash. So so good. The koana darm rum is delicious. Vanilla flavor with a smooth and spicy finish. Burger is ok but anything with fish is going to be amazing. I believe it was the fish sandwich that had a spicy glaze. They'll also give you some Hawaiian hot sauce that is very mild but delicious. Watery with a bit of vinegary taste. Can throw it on anything.

Great little place, with wonderful atmosphere. The Ube pancakes are delicious. It would be helpful for the website to indicate end times for the breakfast menu- It was frustrating to arrive for our reservation at 11:30 only to find out we could not order breakfast menu items.

We had dinner here our first day. They have a kids buffet which was good for our grandkids. Big place with tables inside and outside and nice sunset views. The menu itself is limited but understandable given that it is catering to a wide cross section of folks. The deserts were excellent and Angie our server was very warm friendly and helpful.

This is a food review only. The atmosphere is great. Ate here for dinner on my third and last night. The bread was soooo delectable and chewy. 🤤 I ordered the wagyu steak and it was way too chewy, rather than melt in your mouth, and there wasn’t a lot of flavor. It would’ve been better with some marinade. I would skip it if you’re looking for a good steak.

Food was average Limited menu Should be better for the price. Had kabobs and zucchini chips. Zucchini chips were ok. Kabobs just ok.

I have been going to this restaurant with my family every winter for almost five years. Halani used to be my favorite restaurant, but within the last two years, they have changed the menu and the service has gotten worse. My fish in my poke bowl was discolored and mushy. The hostess was also quite unpleasant. Unfortunate that one of my favorite restaurants on the Big Island has gotten so much worse in quality. Two stars for the amazing view.

Spectacular and beautiful views with a stunning atmosphere however the service and food was completely lacking for this upscale resort. Our group of 7 were seated right away but were then left sitting for nearly 15 minutes before being acknowledged, our server admitted that they were ready for the weekend and they seemed overworked. The signature cocktails were nothing special especially for the price (you can get much better drinks at the Rum Shack). We ordered 2 breads but only received 1 and had to ask twice for the second. I ordered the Ahi steak and was delivered not a steak but 7 small slices of Ahi on top of Orzo. A family member asked for a spicy sauce and had to wait 30 minutes before it arrived. Needless to say this restaurant was an extreme disappointment for service and food.

classic situation and dilemma: the ambience, the vibe is a 10 out of 10 ! Such a beautiful setting. But the service does NOT match the setting whatsoever; the waiting staff don't seem to happy to be working here compared to the Fairmont just 2 mins away. Food was just ok also- which is NOT OK for a hotel of this caliber and a restaurant with this type of decor and vibe. Would probably only return to Halani for drinks only.

Halani used to be my favorite restaurant for dinner in the area - I’ve have been 8 times over the last few years. Food quality/menu and service level has gone way down in 2025. Will not be returning anytime soon but I really want to! Please make improvements! Food: Not great, food arrived lukewarm and lacked flavor. Pasta/pizza are meh. Wish they’d go back to their previous Hawaiian/local cuisine concept. Service: Waitstaff not as friendly or professional as before. I suggest training Halani staff to be at the high level of the rest of the Auberge hotel staff, and in accordance with the prices they’re charging. Atmosphere: Absolutely beautiful space and decor.

Lunch menu on 1/17/2026 did not deliver what the reviews shared we would experience.. The food menu was very limited and we came for the lobster mac and cheese and other menu items that were posted but they hadn't served some of those items in over 2.5 years. Don't come for lunch.. They said breakfast and dinner are better to come for..

Told us to wait for our table when we had a reservation and the restaurant was empty! They sent us to the bar so they could make more money. Cocktails were HORRIBLE. Plus no nibbles to give out. Terrible experience especially as hotel guests. The stay was so expensive you’d expect better treatment.

We had lunch here on Christmas Day and unfortunately the experience was very disappointing overall. It took around 40 minutes for drinks to arrive—and even then only half of the table received theirs. The remaining drinks only came out after we asked. The toddler meal took 1 hour and 10 minutes to arrive, which is especially difficult when dining with a child. When it did arrive, there was an unannounced substitution: broccoli had been replaced with watermelon, which we were not consulted about beforehand. Adult mains arrived after 1 hour and 20 minutes. The restaurant was about half empty at the time, so the long delays were hard to understand—particularly since the dishes were very simple (two quinoa bowls with vegetables) and should not have taken more than 15 minutes to prepare. Unfortunately, the food itself was very bland across the board. While the manager did kindly comp the meal without us asking, which we appreciated, this doesn’t change the fact that the food lacked flavor. On a positive note, the ambiance of the restaurant is very nice, and the wait staff were friendly and polite throughout. However, the excessive delays and bland food ultimately overshadowed these positives, and it’s not an experience we would repeat

This experience was unbelievably underwhelming and honestly worth at most $50. We booked dinner without realizing they only serve a buffet at certain times. When we arrived, there were very few food options, and nothing we tried was enjoyable. At $175 per person, it felt like a huge disappointment. On top of that, bugs and mosquitoes were everywhere, even near the food. It would be really helpful if the buffet schedule were clearly posted on their website so guests could plan ahead. For this price, I’d recommend going to ULU instead for a much better dining experience.