Big Island Grill

Big Island Grill – Get All the Hawaiian Favorites Served Up with Beer, Wine, and More
Local Expert's Rating:
4.5 / 5
The Bottom Line:

Want tasty plate lunches and all the other Hawaiian favorites served in huge portions? Just get on over to the Big Island Grill in Kailua-Kona. They go all out in creating flavorful food that will fill you up fast and then serve them up with beer, wine, and more. Service is friendly, but they’re plenty busy, so don’t expect them to roll out the red carpet.

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

When hunger strikes during all your island adventures, Big Island Grill is always ready to fuel you up for more fun. At their popular Kailua-Kona eatery, they go above and beyond in creating delicious plate lunches and other Hawaiian favorites on the double. They’re not only fast, but all their food comes out in huge portions designed to keep hunger at bay all day long. As if that’s not enough to get you through the doors, they also serve beer, wine, and even mimosas all day long.

So, as you can likely imagine, their offerings bring people in from far and wide, keeping them very busy on a daily. Despite that, Big Island Grill doesn’t take any reservations. So, you’ll just have to hope that there’s a table open when you arrive. If not, it’s well worth waiting around for a bit. Since they get the food out to the tables so fast, you’ll have a seat available before you know it. Browse the menu while you wait, so you’re ready to start ordering once you get a spot.

The huge portions at Big Island Grill are definitely big enough to share, but that doesn’t mean you’ll want to give away a single bite. The bold flavors only get better and better as time goes on anyway, so they work great for leftovers if you’d rather take the remainder home in a doggie bag. Your servers are always happy to provide a box for the rest of your meal upon request.

In fact, even though they’re wildly busy always, you can count on the team for truly friendly service. If you need anything, let them know up front, however, or you might not get a chance again until late in your meal. They’ll swing by when they can, of course, but it’s not always possible to roll out the red carpet for all their eager patrons.

Come by to try the:

Build Your Own Loco Moco
To serve as the master of your own destiny, simply choose to Build Your Own Loco Moco at Big Island Grill. This fan-favorite always features a bed of rice, two eggs how you like them, and homemade brown gravy. The difference is that you choose your own protein. You can go with the classic hamburger patty, kick it up a notch with chicken katsu, or select from one of their many other options, like Spam, Roast Pork, and Fried Shrimp. Can’t decide? Get the Super Loco Moco and choose a trio of flavors instead. 

Chicken Salad Sandwich
Do you simply want comfort food done right? Then, you cannot go wrong with the Chicken Salad Sandwich. To create this lunchtime treat, they mix chicken breast with onions, celery, and mayo. The mixture then gets put between two pieces of bread and sliced right in half. To bring it all together, you’ll need to choose whether you want potato macaroni salad, pineapple coleslaw, or French fries on the side.

Hawaiian Plate Special
If you make it in on Friday, don’t hesitate to get the Hawaiian Plate Special for a taste of all the classics. In their huge plate lunch, beef, chicken, pork, and fish lau lau serves as the star of the show. On top of that, you also get Lomi Lomi salmon, potato macaroni salad, rice, and poi.  

Share plates, take your leftovers home in a doggie, or do whatever else it takes to save room in your belly. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on their scrumptious desserts, like the ever-popular Hawaiian Mudd Pie. This sweet treat features a delightful mix of Kona coffee ice cream, Oreo cookies, fudge, and macadamia nuts. If that’s not quite your style, then get the Flourless Chocolate Cake, Sweet Potato Haupia Cheesecake, or B.I.G. Ice Cream Pie at Big Island Grill instead.

Insider Tips:
-Want to skip the rice? Just ask for a side of veggies instead.
-The early afternoon is the best time to get a seat without a long wait. If you arrive without anyone to greet you, just sign in and they’ll be right out.
-Expect to see a 17% gratuity automatically added to the bill when dining in a large group.