Lava Lava Beach Club – Waikoloa

Favorite happy hour on the island! Comfortable seating right on the beach. A beautiful setting any time of the day, but especially to watch the sun go down. Local beers on tap and delicious mai tais. Endless menu. Everything that I have tried I have loved. The standing ahi nachos, tipsy tots, club med plate… just to name a few. The whole staff is very inviting. One member of the staff in particular, James, always makes our dining experience exceptional. I recommend this restaurant to all of my friends. Truly a must for anyone visiting the island or even just looking for a place to unwind after work.

Great setting on the beach. Food is hit and miss — ribs were veery good, as was the coconut shrimp. My «hook, line and sinker» was only fair. Mai Tais were very weak — NOT a good value. Garlic bread appetizer was tasty but $ 6.00 for four muniscule pieces!!! Service, however was a joke. Our waitress took our order and disappeared. Other servers delivered our meal and we finally flagged her down to get the check. We split a salad but it came in one bowl. When we asked for another bowl we were told we couldn’t have one and to use our bread plate.
All-​in-​all maybe come for a drink and the sunset but not for dinner.

A great spot. Close to the Marriott so you can get out of that sterile environment, SUPER clean, great mixologists behind the bar and the food was tasty too. I will say clean one more time, joints are difficult to keep clean with sand, moisture, wind etc. and this place was spotless. Great for lunch or dinner, not a quiet/​romantic spot … Go here to be part of the fun.

Hit and miss restaurant experience. Go for the happy hours from 3 – 5 and enjoy the awesome views, cold beers, and stay for the live music and a sunset. Very casual and mostly a younger crowd here with kids welcome. The food is not the star here. The best parallel experience would be Sunnyside in Tahoe minus the great menu. Still a fun experience and a great Hawaii sunset.

I have to say, this is a fun place when it is t crazy. Happy hour should be a great time of saving… Well pulled pork Nachos for $ 11 during happy hour is no exactly a steal but more affordable then most restaurants at the Hilton. I used to love their drinks but now they seem a lot more premixed… Unfortunately. This is why I am having a glass of Chardonnay for $ 5.

Classy this place is not. Ordered a glass of wine and it arrived at the table in a plastic cup. Kid you not.
That said, this place is fun. There was a cheesy but entertaining live musician performing when we dined at the restaurant last night. And the average age of the servers seems to be approximately 22.5, which makes for some amusing people watching.
Don’t make the same mistake we did: be sure to arrive before the sun goes down. We got there after dark and it felt like we kind of missed the point. You definitely want to enjoy the beachfront setting — it seems to be the biggest selling point of this place.
Just don’t go for the food. Enough said.

This place was not only amazing but the staff is very friendly and accommodating! I got married on the beach on Valentine’s Day and booked this place for my «Reception» Dinner. I booked around the beginning of January just to ensure I had a location close to where the wedding was. I had ordered a cake and the Manager told me it would be no issue, they would hold the cake for me until I was ready after the Bakery delivered it… That was so nice seeing I didn’t use them for my wedding. We arrived on ²⁄₁₃ and we were doing a few last minute things when my Husband told me that his best friend was bringing his family, adding 5 additional people to our small party of 7… I went and spoke to the hostess that day and was told it was Valentine’s and they were booked and didn’t have a table free for a party of 12, but she would ask a manager. He came over and I explained the situation and he started looking at his seating… He walked me over to a table under a tree intended for 10 and asked me if he added 2 more chairs if this would work… It was perfect… We had everyone attend, we all for in the table with no problem and we were 10 feet from the ocean with our feet in the sand! This place couldn’t have been more perfect! Did I mention the food and cocktails were amazing too!
Thanks so much for everything you guys are amazing!

I traveled to the Big Island for my birthday and decided to spend my birthday dinner at Lava Lava Club despite mixed reviews from my friends and family. The location is perfect. Right on the beach. Toes in the sand. But when it came to service, I was sincerely disappointed.
My boyfriend called ahead to see if they had chocolate cake or something similar for my birthday; he spoke with «Courtney» who guaranteed him they would have something special set aside for me. He wasn’t expecting anything crazy, maybe a piece of cake that had «Happy Birthday» written on the plate in chocolate which they do at a lot of restaurants. We finished our dinner which was of mediocre quality and my boyfriend spoke with the waiter to see if Courtney had left a note on our reservation or spoke with him about something special for me. He said no and we would have to pick something off the menu. Once we did get dessert, we asked for an extra spoon to share the dessert since there was 3 people in our party and he only brought 2 spoons… but our request was quickly forgotten.
Another disappointment came when someone in our party asked for a drink from our waiter towards the end of the night. Our waiter went to the bar and came back right away. He said the bar had already closed and simply walked away. This was an extreme let down because if he notified us that it was last call we would have all ordered another round of drinks.
Our experience at Lava Lava Club was a series of unfortunate mishaps due to the lack of communication, knowledge and effort from the staff. If the ambience wasn’t so on point, this restaurant would not be in business. Word travels fast on the Big Island …

Don’t miss this place! The view, the sunset, live music that was awesome, and the food was exceptional. Hands down the best we had on this coast! This place has the local vibe we were looking for… and Travis was the bomb, thanks man!

This place has an amazing views, great sittings, good drinks and that’s it.
The service is not good and the food is mediocre, at least for my taste.

Remember: you’re not coming here for the food — the sunset is the main attraction :)
We had the Poke appetizer (which was actually good, and I’d recommend it even though it’s $ 18), but the drinks were watery (the Pau Hana and a Ginger and Tonic), and our entrees (the Simple Fish for $ 35 and the Hook, Line & Sinker for $ 39) were just average. It’s like San Francisco prices for Applebees-​style food.
Our waitress was very nice, but the service was amazingly slow — we had a reservation at 5:15 and didn’t get our food for over an hour. Not too big a deal, as we got to sit and enjoy the view for a while longer :)
All in all, this is an ok place if you don’t mind paying a lot for mediocre food. The view is what you want here — the sunset is pretty spectacular. I’d recommend getting some apps, watching the sunset and heading elsewhere for dinner.

This place was what we needed. Arrived at 8pm and found open seats on the sand by the ocean. Great place for two or a group.
I had the catch of the day which was the Ono which was great. I also tried the poke… Which I recommend. The Curry was full of flavor!
Drinks were good not great. The food and ambiance made up for it.
We closed out the place. I could’ve fallen asleep there on the lounge chairs and ocean sound.

The ambience is probably worthy of a 4*. The restaurant is fairly lively and located right on the beach with open air seating and some tables just out on the sand. There seemed to be a good buzz around the place with people there for food/​drinks & in a variety of group sizes. A live singer took requests and played songs such as Hotel California and Walking on the moon.
Sadly the food let the place down. It was all edible, but nothing to remember. I tried the fish of the day (Ahi) and seared prawns, both were little bland and overcooked.
I’d probably go back for drinks if I returned to the area, but I am sure that there is better food elsewhere.

I can’t believe I haven’t eaten at this place prior to this weekend. The ambiance is probably my most favorite thing about this place. Can’t beat being right off of the beautiful Anaehoomalu Bay! Had the FOB sandwich with sweet potato fries and it was great. Even better was the Coconut Cocito and other special lychee drink I had. Their cocktail menu and specials they offer are delicious! I’d go back just for the drinks! Perfect place to grab a bite then chill on the beach!

Stopped here a few times while staying in waikaloa and enjoyed it! Killer views of surfers and paddle boards.
Tipsy tots pupu was tasty after a few brews, but wife said they tasted like school cafeteria. Would not recommend the pork nachos pupu.
Beach waiters are very nice but still learning the trade. Some live entertainment in the evenings, nice atmosphere. Worth a visit!

This is a great place to stop at on the way back from the Kohala coast. Luckliy we had a reservation as the place was packed which is normal.
We booked for a sunset dinner and were not disappointed. Live music and a hula dancer were fun entertainment along with the great sunset.
The wind was really whipping through the place but calmed down as the sun set.
I had the half chicken and it was finger licking good. Our server was a little overwhelmed but we were pretty happy as long as we made sure to grab his attention.
The food was decent as well as the cocktails. For a beach bar grub place it was good. The view while dining makes it special.

A friend recommend LLBC to my husband and I on our trip to Big Island. We were staying in Waikoloa, so the location was super convenient. If you’re walking, I recommend the beach route, as the street going here at night is sunlight and really shady. Totally walkable from the Marriott via the beach.
We came here twice during a four night stay. That’s how good it is. The first night, we came for cocktails. Everything was awesome, and they even made me a custom margarita with muddled jalapeños. The beer and wine list is pretty good as well, lots of variety.
The second night, we came for dinner on the beach. I have a shellfish allergy, which limited my options, but there was still plenty to choose from! I went with the teriyaki steak rice bowl, which was served in half of a pineapple (neat!). It was delicious. Very delicious.
There were also some awesome cats wondering around! Very casual and fun atmosphere. A must do in Waikoloa.

I almost don’t want to give 5 stars because everyone is sooooo hyper critical. And if you love it too, I may have a hard time getting a table next time! Enjoying the low key vibes here? Same owners as Huggo’s in Kona (since 1969).
Etiquette dictates that if you are going half stars, round up for ambiance… And lava lava has views for days. Our party had the parma tater tots (light truffle oil, small batch, consumed quickly), blacked catch of the day, Pam seared catch of the day, side of sweet potato fries (waffled, lightly salted, & outstanding), hook line & sinker snapper w shrimp. Then we indulged ourselves with the chocolate monkey (the mousse is heavenly) and the ice cream sandwiches (macadamia nut chocolate cookies holding up coffee ice cream). As I walked back in the dark, sunset long since passed, towards the Marriott I began to plot my meal there tomorrow. Perhaps lunch?

Thank you, fellow Unilocalers for bringing us here. What would we all do without you?
I was a bit hesitant to come here as I didn’t want to be amongst nothing but tourists, feeling like I’m at a hybrid luau. While this was the case, it wasn’t tacky like how a luau can be, and I was glad to see a few local residents patronizing them.
ATMOSPHERE:
Past all the moonscape, there is civilization at the end of the road! An open-​air beach house comes alive with accents from all parts of the world, sunburnt skin, fresh & artificial lei, and Tommy Bahama shirts and shorts. You know, just like at Mama’s Fish House. *rolleyes*
The main restaurant area is a big covered lanai. It’s a mix of high tops and regular tables, with a big bar toward the back. A few steps down is another covered area with a few tables. But what most people want are the tables on the sand. There’s a bunch of sofa chairs with very low tables that line the beach and are good for large parties like 8+. I personally think it would be hard to enjoy your dinner in that set up. We were right next to them on the regular tables, still on the sand. Once sunset hits, so does everyone else, camera/​phone in hand, on the beach. After the sun goes down they have nice ambient lighting and tiki torches. A hard-​working entertainer sang for hours and took requests.
MENU:
American apps, salads, fish, burgers, desserts.
FOOD:
Standing Ahi Nachos — They’re not your traditional nachos! 5, yes only 5 homemade tortilla chips shaped like high back chairs neatly line the plate single file, each with a pat of guacamole and a piece of blackened ahi lightly drizzled with a sweet chili sauce sitting on them. Tasty and unique looking, but not worth the $ 15 price.
Rib Teaser — I’m not a rib fan mainly due to its texture, but I tried some. They were super tender, tasty, and fell off the bone. The guava and hoisin sauce was good too; a bit sweet and tangy.
Sizzling Shrimp — The sizzling quickly died down due to the breezy conditions, but the flavor did not! Butter makes everything better. And so does garlic. The shrimp they use were probably the 21−25/lb. size, a bit small, but you’ll forget about that once you start consuming. Dip the garlic bread in that heavenly sauce and you’ll be wanting to order more! Highly recommended.
Hukilau Chowder — It’s a white chowder, yay! The flavors were good, but it wasn’t searing hot, unfortunately. I like to scare my tongue with some degrees! I detected potatoes, clams, and bacon in the medium textured soup.
Hook, Line & Sinker — Because we ate so many apps, I shared this sorta surf & turf entrée with my spouse. The fish was good sized mahi filet, white and flaky, but had no real flavor aside from maybe salt & pepper. Good for the purist like me, but it was missing something. And though its not listed, the dish also came with 3 pieces of chicken katsu (breaded and deep fried chicken breast) which was juicy and crispy, but no katsu sauce, boo! The coconut jasmine rice wasn’t as gross as I thought it would be lol. Side garnishes were a few pieces of whole sautéed mushrooms and oddly some maraschino cherries. Okay dish, but not something I’d recommend.
RESERVATIONS:
We made them via Open Table for 5:15pm. We checked in a little before 5pm and got our table seats on the sand. It was busy for a Sunday night but not overly. Once 8pm hit, there were a few open tables on the sand.
SERVICE:
Our male server was awesome! Sorry I don’t have a name but he’s the younger guy with blonde hair in a pony tail tucked under a cap. He was very warm, welcoming, professional, and checked on us frequently.
OVERALL:
Nice ambiance and concept, very touristy, okay food, great service.

I LAVA LAVA this place! You will go here for the atmosphere above all else.
DINE ON THE BEACH! This is the first restaurant I’ve seen where the tables and chairs are actually out on the sand. So yes, you can drink on this beach.
OPEN TABLE for resv
If you make open table res, you will get a table on the open-​air patio or up on the section next to the bar. The views are still gorgeous but your table won’t be on the sand. If you want the lounge chairs with the cushions right on the sand, you need to come early (before dinner) because those are first come/​served and one of them even had a FIRE PIT going on after it got dark.
LIVE MUSIC (Tomi Isobe) with hula dancer!
I never write about live music because it’s usually not memorable. This was memorable. Lava Lava has awesome live music from a one-​man guitar/singer…this is great especially if you just want to chill and relax and don’t want to talk to your dinner companions. Tomi Isobe is the guys name and he was so good I had to look him up because I never heard of this guy but he should be famous. Maybe he is. Anyway, if you sit close to him, you have to really YELL across the table to talk to each other.
SUNSETS ARE FREE AND AWESOME
The sun set at 7:03pm the day we went there. Not only did the music stop playing just before the sun went down, but it was like time stood still for a few minutes. Lots of people got out of their seats, walked down to the sand and watched in complete silence as the sun disappeared into the horizon. I saw the green flash for the first time ever. As I was walking back to our seat, I noticed a sea turtle that was cruising in the sand right below the chairs from the restaurant. It’s little things like these that made me LAVA lava lava Club.
FOOD/​DRINKS WERE GOOD.
Waikoloa in general isn’t really known for their spectacular food. I’ve eaten at almost every restaurant at the Hilton Waikoloa, Kings Village, and Queens Market. I’d say this was better than all of those restaurants. We also went to the Four Seasons Hualalai Beach Tree Bar & Grill which has a similar set up right on the beach (but not on the sand) — if I had to choose again, I’d come back to Lava Lava not only because the price difference for similar types of food but because the atmosphere was just a tad more beachy casual. I had to order a LAVA LAVA FLOW since we were at Lava Lava, and it was delicious.
SERVICE WAS OKAY.
The place was hopping. It was crazy busy, and it was effing hot. But I was on vacation mode so it didn’t bother me that we had to wait for a lot of things. The servers were busting their asses to get everything out. I swear every table around us ordered this sizzling shrimp platter which created tons of smoke and more heat on an already scorching day.
We are definitely making this a stop the next time we visit the Big Island.