When it comes to good local food, it is often the hole-in-the-wall locations that truly excel. Such is the case with Los Habaneros, a Mexican restaurant located in a northside neighborhood of Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Los Habaneros is a Mexican restaurant that looks small on the outside but boasts a menu inside that packs big flavors. But first, you have to get to it. You will find this unpretentious restaurant tucked away in the furthest corner of the Keauhou Shopping Center, adjacent to the center’s popular movie theater.
This is a fairly laid-back restaurant. You will order your menu items at the counter and choose your own seating, whether indoors or out. Despite being in a shopping plaza, Los Habaneros does have plenty of comfortable seating to choose from. Food is served either atop paper plates or within take-out containers, paired with plastic cutlery, and drinks are served in plastic cups. Again, think laid back.
Despite this very casual ambiance, Los Habaneros is very much an alcohol-friendly establishment. They have a great variety of beers, including important Mexican options, as well as a fully stocked liquor bar and their own house margaritas. This full drink menu makes Los Habaneros a nice place to go after a long day at the beach when you want good food and a refreshing beverage but doesn’t want to pay big tourist prices.
Los Habaneros is closed Sunday but has full-day hours every other day of the week, from 11 am to 7 pm, and boasts a late breakfast menu that offers a nice lazy way to start one’s day.
Popular menu items at Los Habaneros include:
Huevos Rancheros
This is a premier Mexican breakfast dish, featuring tortillas, rice, beans, eggs, and cheese. It’s a filling, delicious, and energizing way to kickstart an adventure on the Big Island’s west coast.
Carne Asada Plate Lunch
This is a huge plated lunch that features grilled carne asada with peppers, onions, and mushrooms. The carne asada comes served with rice, beans, sour cream, guacamole, and corn tortillas. All of which are topped with a shredded cheese mix.
Veggie Burrito
If you have vegetarians in your group, then they are sure to appreciate this big vegetarian dish. Los Habaneros’s Veggie Burrito comes verifiably packed with food, featuring sauteed onions, tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and avocado served with beans and rice within the tortilla. For a little extra spiciness and flavor, you can also order it wet, which means the burrito gets topped with enchilada sauce and cheese.
In addition to these daily favorites, Los Habaneros also has what they call a daily special every day they are open. These specials are exciting discounted prices on hot menu items, including a Tuesday Chile Relleno Plate and a Friday Shrimp Vallarta dish.
There is one thing they don’t do which can be frustrating for some diners — chips and salsa are not on the house. Expect to pay extra as a side for this classic addition.
Other important things to note about eating at Los Habaneros are that the ingredients do lean a bit more Tex Mex than traditional Mexican food (although there are some dishes that certainly will get served authentic Mexican-style; just not all), and their being in a theater-shared shopping center means that parking can be a challenged. Come prepared to walk across the lot.
Insider Tip:
Food gets served very fast here. So if you are in a rush, whether to make a movie at the neighboring Regal Keahou, or you have a tour somewhere on the coast and want something fast and good, this is a top choice for the area.