Island Breeze Luau

Pros:
The food was good and the entertainment was great!
The dances were really amazing
Everyone working there was really nice and very attentive.
Cons:
Only one bar and the mai tais seemed watered down
It felt like it took forever to called to the buffet and i was starving by the time they did call us.
(Some sort of appetizers would go a long way)
The photos cost $ 15 at a dinner that cost us $ 100… That made the experience feel cheep and like they were just trying to gouge us for more money.
Neither a pro or con was that it rained A LOT. There was no plan B (since it hardly ever rains that much in Kona) except to pass out some flimsy ponchos that didn’t really help when you were trying to finish the meal you had just paid and waited for. BUT the bartender did stay a little bit longer so we got an extra drink.
Over all I don’t recommend this luau

We stayed at the Marriott in Waikoloa Village but before leaving we booked this Luau in Kona because I’d researched it like crazy to find the nicest Luau. I’m so glad we booked this luau! The food was delicious and the host on the mic explained every dish before we ate so I tried everything including the local poi. I don’t think I would have tried it were it not for the host recommending how to eat it and I loved it! The show was great and since we had an ocean view room at our own hotel, we could see the luau from our window and it was not as good as this one! The dancers here were great and they put on such a beautiful show. I was hesitant to book it with priority seating because we were a party of 6 and it would have been really expensive and I’m glad we didn’t. Really, the only great part is that you get to eat first but there’s PLENTY of food. We had our kids with us who are picky eaters and they have a great table full of kid food so don’t worry about that! Book this one and you won’t regret it, it’s great food and a great show!

Delicious food, stunning dancers, beautiful music. Our experience exceeded our expectations.

This was my third luau in 20 years and after the first two I really had zero desire to experience another. However, my Partner had never been to one, and we are here to celebrate his birthday, so after his repeated inquiries to attend one I reluctantly agreed and booked Island Breeze. Wow! Am I am glad I did. Yes, it is costly, but no more so than other Luaus. And I do believe far better. The only thing I would do different is that I would not pay extra for the Preferred Seating. I think every seat has a good view of the show and the other parts of the experience do not happen at your seat. The whole experience was worthwhile. First there are arts and crafts while you enjoy the open bar. I do not understand complaints of weak drinks — that was not my experience at all. The drinks far exceeded my expectations, which were admittedly dim. I really liked the «tattoo» I got, and there are several choices to choose from. I believe this is the only Luau where the entertainers arrive via an Outrigger, recreating a Royal Hawaiian visit. The traditional Hawaiian roasted pig is baked underground — the whole cooking process is explained in detail and the unveiling of the cooked pig is a highlight. The food was good for a buffet. And then the performance starts and WOW! Traditional Polynesian dances from several different Islands; not just Hawaii. Very informative and authentic! And the fire dance at the end is just absolutely phenomenal and incredible to behold. This is a real treat, and the only Luau I would recommend. You WILL be entertained and educated and have a fun evening.

Show was good but short. Food was great. Desserts not so much. Alcohol drinks were so-​so. Budweiser, Bud Light, some wine and Mai Tai’s. I was expecting to do traditional activities such as making our own lei or bracelets and maybe seeing how they get coconuts from a tree, or learning how to do a few traditional dances in a small group setting, face painting etc., before our dinner and entertainment! The one in Oahu had all of this and they even got some of the men to learn some dances and gives us a show by wearing traditional luau skirts. I wish they offered prices for those under 21. Paying full price for my teenage daughter was a bit excessive, considering she only gets punch and food.

My husband has never experience a Luau with Hula dancer, fire dance, Ono Hawaiian grinds. I booked it for us on our last night here In Kailua Kona. Easter night & he was supper excited. Tickets were sold out night before & somehow they became available the morning of & we just had a blast. Wonderful hula dancers, Some ōlelo Hawaii (spoke Hawaiian) and you dont hear it much I was stoked to have someone to converse back with in Hawaiian. «UA MAU KA ŌLELO HAWAII» 03/​27/​2016

My husband and I are staying at the Sheraton Kona for our Honeymoon. This was our first Lua’au. We just watched this show by Island Breeze here at our hotel and we had a WONDERFUL time. The drinks were well mixed (not super strong but by the 2^nd Mai Thai I certainly had a buzz and I’m NOT a light-​weight). My Husband and I loved the pork and beef, and the Kona Coffee chocolate cake was moist and melted on my tongue.
Auntie Tutu was a very extravagant (good!), happy and welcoming host. Auntie Tutu MADE THE SHOW. We absolutely loved her. The cast and crew put on a wonderful show, the food was delicious and the drinks were abound.
The only complaint I have is that I was seated next to a grumpy older woman that complained about everything («this isnt a real lua’au theres no lobster or crab», «this show isnt like the others Ive seen» etc.). We recommend this show for ALL (families and couples!).
SERIOUSLY, this show was great. Check it out!

Like a bad joke. Pretty much any hotel on Maui or Ohau will have a better luau for the same price. They reused the same dancers in every routine, so the MC sang between each routine. It was awkward, and we just felt sorry for the dancers, and bored. I really wanted to leave after about the 2^nd or 3^rd act. There were only about 9 of them, about half were Polynesian. They pretend to do an ancient hawaiian prayer, but its really a christian prayer and then they jammed in «our god is an awesome god» in the middle of the show. If you’re christian, fine, but i don’t go to church to see a luau, don’t make me pay to experience church when i am thinking i’m getting a luau.

Our luau was supposed to be by the water, but because of the Ironman Competition, we were told we had to move to the lawn. I was alright with that. But the staff after the whole thing began were not very friendly. Don’t get me wrong, the performers were awesome and the food was good. That was the main reason I gave even 2 stars. The activities did not last long and were very basic. Luckily, my parents had nothing to compare it to, so they seemed happy, but my oldest son had wanted to know when we were going to do more activites. Poor thing had expected more for his first time.
I might have had higher expectations because our first luau was Paradise Cove on Oahu where it was very spacious, had games, canoeing, hand drawn tatoos, and live cultural demonstrations before the show to name a few. The price was also $ 10 – 15 cheaper.
We also got a photo taken of us both as a family and as a group with our friends. Of course I paid the $ 20 for the photo and the rights because I wanted a photo of us all together, but I probably shouldn’t have. The lighting was terrible with the picture to bright behind our heads so the whole photo looks faded, and the faces of our friends on the second row were all blurry. I’m not a professional photographer, but I could tell this was not a great shot. I had hoped the photographer was a professional for the cost of the photo.
The atmosphere was not very welcoming. When the show called for couples to dance, our children wanted to dance too. Because they were at the back of the tables out in the grass, they were laughing and enjoying themselves. A female wait staff member came by and told us to we needed to quiet down! Didn’t nicely request, but told us to quiet down. I’m sorry. They are little and came to have fun too. I had shushed them but they didn’t seem to be bothering anyone. Perhaps we should have chosen a more family friendly luau. :(

We enjoyed the luau. The setting was nice on the water. The ambiance was romantic, I especially enjoyed the lighting. The music, host and dancers were all entertaining. The food was good, so were the desserts and the selection was great. Now the bad was the service they rushed us in and then they rushed us out. We were the last table served and we had to grab dessert before eating the entrée because they were cleaning up already. When the show was winding down they were already with trash bags in hand herding us out. We’re on vacation and didn’t appreciate being rushed. The open bar was good in theory but the liquor was so cheap I’d rather pay for better quality. The dancers were supposed to come out and greet us afterwards, but they too jumped to pack up and head out. My daughter was disappointed. We did, however, especially appreciate the greeters they were very welcoming.

We attended the luau hosted at the Courtyard King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel on 10÷27÷15.
PRICING: There are several levels of tickets, with various add-​ons, e.g., premium seating (close to performers and first in the food lines), leis, pre-​purchased picture (of your party that is taken at the luau). We purchased the baseline tickets at something like $ 77/​each. We got a standard 10% discount on the luau tickets for staying at the host hotel.
ARRIVAL AND CHECK-​IN: 5PM check in time, but check-​in begins with a photo-​taking session, whether you’ve pre-​purchased a photo or not. You are adorned with basic shell leis (free) or you can purchase a flower or kukui nut lei for $ 7 or $ 5, respectively. You are ushered to your seats for the night before the show begins. If you purchased a premium ticket, you will be offered pineapple with coconut shavings.
GUESTS: there were hundreds of people at our luau, many from outside our hotel. This is definitely a large scale operation, and people from all age ranges and all over the world were in attendance. Plenty of kids, young travelers, couples, grandparents, etc.
OPEN BAR AND DRINKS: begins around 5:15PM and lasts for 2 hours. As you might expect of an open bar whose price is included in your ticket, selections are slim. I tried a mai tai but could not finish it because the sugar content in the mixer was overpowering. I then ordered white wine, which I couldn’t bring myself to finish after a sip, owing to distaste. On the other hand, my husband ordered a few bourbons (with soda, on the rocks) and a Bud light, and he was fine for the night. I settled on their delicious, free-​flowing decaffeinated coffee. (They offer this, along with caffeinated coffee, and teas all night long.) I do not know what other non-​alcoholic selections they offered, but water is constantly refilled in pitchers at each table.
FOOD: Guests with premium seating are the first in line, followed by guests in «regular» seats. QUANTITY ⁵⁄₅. There was plenty of kalua pork and turkey, Kona coffee BBQ chicken, and fish. Other notable dishes: lomi salmon, poke and poi. Sides: basic iceberg lettuce-​based salad, three bean salad, creamy pasta salad, banana bread, purple sweet potato with coconut butter. Desserts included iced banana or chocolate cake slices or coconut custard squares. Kids’ food table offered chicken tenders, mac and cheese and rice. QUALITY 3.5÷5. The kalua pork and turkey were both extremely moist and tender but not the most savory I’ve had. Kona coffee BBQ chicken was mouthwateringly delicious. Fish was not my favorite. It was tough and somewhat bland. Poke was «one-​note» (too salty!), even with poi, and didn’t seem extremely fresh. All other entries were unremarkable but serviceable. NOTABLE DISH: this was the best purple sweet potato my husband and I have ever had. They are roasted just to the right tenderness, with crispy sweet buttery crunch on the outside. I am drooling as I remember this dish.
ACTIVITIES: as others have mentioned, there are lots of activities at the beginning of the luau, with servers flurrying about teaching basic hula moves, frond/​leaf weaving, and inking guests with various temporary tattoos. Where others disliked this, I found that the guests seemed to enjoy choosing what interested them.
SHOW: this show is extremely well done. It begins with guests being beckoned from their seats to witness the unearthing of the kalua pig, along with an explanation of how the meat is cooked. Then entertainers dressed in royal costumery arrive to the party along the waters, and the show host explains the royal procession as guests return to their seats. The emcee has a commanding stage presence, lovely singing voice and knows how to run a tight set, with a constant stream of entertainment. The theme of our show was a selection of dances from the Hawaiian and Polynesian isles. This included exceptional musical performances as well as intriguing costumes representative of each culture depicted.
SHOW END TIME: Around 8:30−9PM. This is a solid 3 – 3.5 hours of entertainment. You will be stuffed and entertained by evening’s end.
CONS: about the only thing I didn’t enjoy was that the photo opp was forced on us. They snap a pic of you before you realize what’s happening, then throughout the eve they ask $ 15 if you’d like the print (which they go ahead and print ahead of asking). But this was an extremely minor part of the evening, and they were definitely OK with a «no».

Save your money. Rats and cockroaches scurrying the property. Open bar ended up being super sugary Mai Tai’s and either Bud or bud light for beer. There are tons of luaus to choose from. Don’t pick this one. We regretted it.

To start we «experienced «the luau at the Sheraton Kona as they were afraid of the unusual amount of rain and it being rained out (there was no rain!) this was such a bummer! Our photos sucked because the «room» and cords etc. as my digger described it — it was like going to a play that could of been held anywhere.
The good: the dancers were great, it was amazing to experience the different islands. I enjoyed the stories the MC shared. The fire dancer at the end was excellent (it was just weird standing around outside to watch him)
The food: it was awful, sorry to say. It reminded me of cafeteria food. 2 of the kids ate rice only. The beef was so hard I couldn’t even cut it, for the cost I had great expectations of gourmet eats — macaroni salad with black olives?
I really wouldn’t spend the money to do this again. I would much rather go snorkeling or rent kayaks.

They do everything with excellence and respect for their culture.
I love the staff. The food is great!

Everything about this Luau was beautiful. This is on the hotel grounds we stayed at which was awesome. You start off getting your family pic’s taken and they hand you cool beaded necklaces. I missed the family pic but they were so awesome they took another one for us by the ocean. You than walk out to the courtyard where you get unlimited amount of drinks– including wines and long island drinks I“m not sure what else– that’s what we had. Once you find your seat they start the introductions and you can take the kids over to make fishes with the green palms– or get tattoes. I jumped in on learning how to do a luau dance which was fun, my little ones enjoyed that too. When that part finishes you can watch them remove the cooked pig from the ground as ancient traditions did. The court comes in on canoe’s — with a chant as you watch by the bay side. As they walk to the stage you take your seat for introductions. They call tables to head over to the buffet line-​which is an endless amount of food to satisfy everyone from different variety of meats, fruits, salads, Hawaiian stuff I really don’t know what some of it is called and a variety of dessert options. It was all so tasty. You can go as many times as it takes to fill your tummy. There was a tasty coconut dessert I can’t even describe how amazing it was and so was that slow cooked pig. They had some tasty purple potatoes I think that’s what I consumed but it was really good. The performances were entertaining from the Hula Girls to the quick moving men and my personal favorite was the guy that loved to put fire in his mouth. I love people that play with fire– I“m fascinated by that stuff. If I had one complaint it would be that I was stuck in the back, they need the loud «into it» crowd up front and put all the robots in the back. Even the guy on stage was hoping that front crowd would get loud at one point, he made a comment about wanting to hear them get into it. I think they should get a feel of the energy of the people coming in and put the zombies in the back. ;p I know you pay more for those close up seats.

Attended the luau in 06/​18/​2015. The experience from start to finish was great. The staff was focused on providing good customer service and ensuring that guest had an enjoyable experience. They were pleasant, always smiling and willing to answer questions without hesitation. Check in was quick, in fact it didn’t seem like we waited in any long lines all night. The Island Breeze team gets 5 stars for customer service.
They also get 5 stars for the food. Being from Honolulu I wasn’t expecting much from the luau food, but I was pleasantly surprised. The food tasted as if I was at a family party. The Lomi salmon had a lot of salmon in it and it tasted good. The rest of the food was just as good. The open bar was a plus. They had maitai’s but you could also get beer or any well liquor.
At check in we got to see some cool Hawaiian artifacts. As we walked over to the luau grounds the scenario was beautiful. The show was entertaining and interactive. I am not one to dance but they create a feeling, a kind vibe that makes you want to have fun and join in. Music was great, dancers were great and the emcee did a good job of keeping things going so that there was no down time between dances. The family that sat with us enjoyed themselves and as we looked around everyone looked like they were having a good time. Overall we rate this a 5 star experience and would recommend it to any visiting Kona.

This luau was so incredibly awful that we left before the show even started.
Given we are spoiled rotten and have visited awesome luaus on Oahu where we live, but Big Island had exceeded our expectations in every way imaginable — to the point that we joked about retiring here.
Had we not bought our tickets through our ITT office on Pearl Harbor, I would be demanding a refund right now.
We went to the luau check-​in and submitted our voucher, where we were directed to go stand in another line on the other side of the check-​in desk. The line was awfully long but we are patient. You have to purchase a flower lei if you want one… really? For $ 75 (for the cheap-​o seating, + for the preferred seating), cough up $ 5 a person for an orchid lei. You may be fooling the tourists, but not the kama’aina.
Nevertheless, we’ve been to a million of these things so we weren’t going to cry about it. Next, we are ushered in to take our photos in a dimly lit room with some props behind us. I wanted to buy our picture since we had never been to this luau, but we chose not to, and I will tell you why in a minute.
Next, we were told to go to the beach. Well, «the beach» means keep walking past the beach and just kind of wander around until you figure out what’s up… so I wandered my way to the small bar by the entrance, which I’m not sure what the point of it was because there was two tables for fruit punch and «alcoholic» mai tais that didn’t have rum in them, so… *shrugs*
Mai tai in hand, I wander over the seating area and we get seated by the water. Very pretty, nice views, etc. Not great for viewing the small stage, which the host admitted to. Whatever, I paid for the «little people» ticket and we were there for the ambiance, so it’s fine.
Next, the people at our table went to go try to watch them pull the pig out, but it was not visible in the crowd (and they mentioned how it looked really burnt), and the presentation of the ali’i chiefs was done in a standing crowd among the tables, so nothing could be seen.
When they tried to sell us our photo, we were handed a crappy lighted photo that looked like it was taken on a disposable camera at a wedding reception with a disco ball for lighting. It wasn’t a full body picture, it was a close up of our faces, and the props behind us were barely visible. Nothing personal to this luau that said, «We were at Island Breeze!»
Then we were allowed to eat. My god, I am a fat chick, loud and proud, and will try almost anything once. This food was so disgusting that I left 80% still sitting on the plate. The most edible thing was the green salad. Hard to make THAT taste like cardboard. The mac salad tasted a bit cinnamon-​y, and the teriyaki beef tasted like I was eating a piece of a cardboard box. The kalua pork was so tasteless that I might as well have been eating white rice. The «kona bbq chicken» had the same cold taste as the teriyaki beef. I ate one piece of banana bread and called it good.
There didn’t seem to be any other choice of drinks besides the mai tai mix from a jug and water. I literally spent 10 minutes watching a guy talk about breaking open a coconut, and at the time we left, he was still talking about the pukas.
We started this whole shindig at 5:00 p.m. when we were told to check-​in and left at 7:20 p.m. when I was spending more time scrolling through my friends’ lives on facebook than living my own because I was so bored out of my frickin’ mind.
Again, I’m not a luau snob. We’ve been to many, many luaus. This was a disaster and I regret wasting $ 150 on this crap.

I really enjoyed this luau!
After reading numerous reviews, we decided to go with Island Breeze. It looks like they also do other luau’s at different hotels but this one was closer to where we were staying (and got the higher reviews). Let me start off by saying that you should not be deterred by the bad reviews.
When I went to their website, they were sold out and the date I wanted was not an option. However I called their direct number and was able to get tickets +preferred seating upgrade. Note that you may get a better deal in price if you call. We got discounted tickets so I added on the preferred seating for $ 19/​each. We got there early, got into the preferred seating line (to the right), got our picture taken, got our shell leis (you can purchase flower ones) and got the front table!
So after you check-​in, you are ushered to the outdoor area where the luau takes place. There, you check in and the folks will usher you to a seat. The bar is open at 5pm so you can grab drinks while you wait for the show to start. I read that the mai tais that are mixed by the lady hostess are better than the ones that are self-​served. Both were somewhat watered down and super sweet anyway, so opt for the beer and wine!
When the show begins, the royal court arrives and from there, the games and crafts part begins. From tattoos to hula dancing. This part was super fun and interactive. The pig was also unveiled at this time as well. As a treated they also unearthed turkey cooked in the same style (a must try). After 30 mins of that, tables are chosen to go get food. Preferred seating gets to go first, obviously. There are 2 tables where 4 lines can easily get food. The staff servers were great. They gave me a huge serving of pig and turkey. I got a bit of everything and it was all awesome. So delicious and tasty and it filled me right up. The dessert was also amazing. As other reviewers pointed out, you must get the chocolate cake and the banana cake. Both were amazing! I am dreaming about that banana cake right now. Yum.
The show plays while you are eating. They had many traditional dances and all of which were super entertaining. My favorite was the fire dancer, whom literally stood right in front of our table. Talk about up close and personal! The Tahitian dance was also awesome. I really enjoyed the show! The MC was great and the music got everyone into the groove of things. The more traditional music made you feel as if you were a part of the dance.
Staff with photos also come around at this time to see if you want to purchase your photo. Preferred seating also gets a coupon for $ 5 off the photo, originally $ 20. We got it anyway because, hey, we’re at a luau on vacation.
I highly recommend this luau. The Staff of the Marriot are super hard workers (wasn’t sure how to tip them but really wanted to). The dancers were outstanding and very talented. The food was awesome for a buffet luau. You will not be disappointed.

On Thursday, 7÷17÷14, my girlfriend and I attended the Island Breeze Luau located at the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel. We heard that this particular luau was one of the best on the Big Island.
Atmosphere/​Décor:
The luau took place outside. There was a bar area where free drinks were being served. There were a lot of activities going on before the show started. Some of the staff members were showing people how to weave, hula, and they were also doing Hawaiian tattoos. There was a total of 6 buffet lines that were spaced out evenly. It was cool to watch the kitchen staff take the whole roasted pig out of the pit. The pit was located on the grass area near the bar. They had dances from 5 different islands, Hawaii, Fiji, Polynesia, Samoa and New Zealand. My favorite was the fire guy, definitely the most exciting. The show was definitely entertaining!
Food:
There’s a ton of food, enough to feed an army, literally. They had everything from poi, mac salad, fresh pineapple, delicious coconut butter sweet potatoes, beef teriyaki, fresh fish, coffee rubbed chicken, white rice, banana bread, Kahlua pork, salad, cucumber salad, poke salad, green bean salad, roasted turkey cooked in the pit along with the fresh pig cooked in the pit which was so flavorful and decadent! For dessert they had some sort of coconut jello, banana cake which my girlfriend thought was awesome and chocolate cake. All of the food was good. Some food was really delicious and some food was just okay but overall the food was good.
Service:
The service was good. The host of the luau was really nice and very personable. All of the staff members made you feel very welcomed and as if you were family.
Overall:
This was our first luau we’ve ever been to. The only thing that we were upset about was that they lost our picture that we took in the beginning. We were the only people out of 400 that didn’t get a picture. Sucks! But it’s whatever because we got a picture taken of us with my cellphone when we went back to our resort. If you are staying on the Big Island, I definitely recommend the Island Breeze Luau. FYI, I highly recommend paying for the preferred seating. It’s only about 7 bucks more plus you get to sit towards the front of the stage where the show takes place and you get to go to the buffet line first.

Summary: 4 stars for bomb food, mai tais, and performance but took kinda long to get started and star pork was actually dry
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This is the luau hosted by the Courtyard Marriott King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel which I stayed at. I checked in on Unilocal on a Wednesday, but I actually went yesterday, and believe it’s only held on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Walking along the path towards the event, the hostess greeted us with a free seashell necklace. A booth at the entrance sold leis for $ 7 and photos for $ 20 which you first take and view/​decide while you eat. We came a bit late and were seated at around 5:20pm, but events began way later and ended at around 8. Restrooms were on the premises. There was a lot of idle time, which we spent getting drinks. Others learned tricks with performers near the pig pit. But honestly… I was pretty hangry and eager to start the feast. Let’s get to the review:
— Price. We booked 2 regular adult tickets, not VIP, through Costco so I’m not sure what we actually paid, but I’d say it was in the $ 80 – 85 range per ticket.
— Seating: first come, first serve. We actually sat at the last table (we were, uh, fashionably late) and had no problems with food running out by the time it was our turn to go to the buffet. Lots of people got seconds. However, concierge told us the amount of reservations were smaller than average that day, so best to get there on time.
— Performances were great. The live band rocked out on drums, bass, acoustic guitar and ukulele. All musicians, the mc, and dancers were energetic. One performer in particular had a hilarious, dry sense of humor when demonstrating how to open a coconut. Dancing was varied with peformers representing different ethnic groups.
— Open bar!!! Unlimited drinks, but guests were only allowed to take 2 at a time. The bar seemed closed when performers went up (the stand was all dark), so you should get all the drinks you want by the time you get all your food. The bartender made KILLER mai tais that were strong, but didn’t taste super alcoholic, although they were a bit sweet. She also served gin and tonic and rum and coke. Soda was available for minors. Ice water and cups were provided at tables.
You could get the mai tais directly from the bar or get the premade mix from the punch bowl and bring it over to the bar for shot of rum
— The buffet: Cold food. Iceberg salad, banana bread, fruit (pineapple, orange, papaya), macaroni salad, poi, poke, and cucumber salad. Sis went crazy over macaroni.
— Hot food: coconut butter fried sweet potato cubes, chewy rice, steamed fish (light ginger and soy flavor), teriyaki beef, kalua pork, AND finally, the star of the show (smoked pork from the pit and smoked turkey for non pork lovers).
— Dessert: haupia (basically coconut milk jell-​o), banana cake w/​banana frosting, chocolate cake w/​chocolate frosting.
Everything was fantastic! But, but, BUT, I (along with my sister and the couple beside us) were disapponted by the smoked pig because it was rather dry!!!): My favorites were actually the sweet potato, steamed fish and bbq chicken. The other meats were much more succulent than the star pig!