Kailua-Kona

Roy's Waikoloa Bar & Grill

Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Hawaii Regional Cuisine / Asian Fusion Seafood Grill

The Reliable

Roy's Waikoloa is a reliable night out with food that outpaces the wine list by a full length. Drink the Sonoma-Cutrer with the butterfish, skip the markups on the obvious stuff, and let the view do the heavy lifting.

Pueo's Osteria

Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Italian osteria with locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients

The Reliable

Pueo's isn't building a destination wine program, but it's doing something harder — keeping prices honest in a market that rarely does. Send your friends here for dinner; just know the list is a supporting character, not the headliner.

Lava Lava Beach Club

Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Beachside Hawaiian and Pacific Rim

The Lazy List

Come for the sand, the sunset, and the Huli Huli chicken — just don't come expecting the wine list to match the view. Order the best white they have cold, tip your server well, and make peace with it.

TJ's BBQ By the Beach

Alii Drive · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian-style barbecue / plate lunches

The Wild Card

We would never send someone to TJ's for the wine list — we'd send them for the smoked brisket and the ocean view. But if you want something in a glass while you eat, the list does just enough to keep you covered, and $12 a pour is fair by Hawaii standards.

Don the Beachcomber Restaurant & Mai Tai Bar

Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian-inspired and pan-Pacific fare with a classic tiki bar

The Lazy List

Don the Beachcomber is a genuinely fun place to spend an evening in Kona, and the cocktail program absolutely earns its reputation — so get the mai tai and leave the wine list alone. If you insist on a bottle, grab the La Crema, accept your losses, and watch the sunset.

Ray's on the Bay

Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary American and Seafood

The Lazy List

Come for the manta rays and the sunset, order a cocktail, and make your peace with it. The wine list is a hotel afterthought dressed in markup we can't recommend with a straight face.

Meridia at Westin Hapuna Beach Resort

Kohala Coast · Kailua-Kona · Mediterranean

The Lazy List

Meridia has the setting, the concept, and the menu to deserve a genuinely interesting wine list — instead it serves up resort-hotel boilerplate at punishing markups. Order the paella, drink the cocktails, and save the serious wine for somewhere that cares.

Miller & Lux Hualalai

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai · Kailua-Kona · American Steakhouse with Hawaiian Influences

The Reliable

Miller & Lux Hualalai is a resort wine list that doesn't embarrass itself — it earned that Wine Spectator nod, has a real sommelier in the room, and the dessert wine selection alone is worth a look. Just know you're paying Four Seasons prices for the privilege, and plan accordingly.

Island Lava Java Kona

Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiian Café and American

The Lazy List

Island Lava Java is genuinely great for Kona coffee, breakfast, and that Ali'i Drive ocean view — just don't show up expecting the wine list to match the scenery. Order a pour of the Fleur de Mer rosé, enjoy the trade winds, and call it a day.

Harbor House Restaurant

Honokohau Harbor (North Kona) · Kailua-Kona · Casual American bar & grill with Hawaiian influences

The Reliable

Harbor House isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more with 17 labels than most waterfront bars bother to attempt. If you're grabbing a harbor-view lunch or a casual dinner after a dive, there's a real, honest pour waiting for you here.

Fish Hopper Seafood & Steak

Kailua Pier / Ali'i Drive · Kailua-Kona · Seafood & Steak

The Reliable

Fish Hopper is a perfectly decent place to drink wine if you're already there for the ocean view and the clam chowder — just don't come expecting the list to impress anyone. Stick to the better California producers, avoid the house wine trap, and let the sunset do the work.

Manta Restaurant at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Mauna Kea Resort · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiʻi Regional Seafood

The Reliable

Manta is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting alone earns a pass on some of the list's shortcomings. But you're paying resort premiums for a 27-bottle list that plays it safe, so go in knowing the view is part of what you're buying.

Ruth's Chris Steak House – Mauna Lani

Mauna Lani Resort · Kailua-Kona · Upscale American Steakhouse

The Reliable

Ruth's Chris Mauna Lani does exactly what it promises: a deep, California-forward wine list served in proper glassware at steep resort prices inside a flawless steakhouse setting. You won't discover anything new here, but if you're after a great bottle of Napa Cab with your Prime filet and an ocean breeze somewhere nearby, this list will not let you down.

Umekes Fishmarket Bar & Grill

Pawai Place / Kailua Industrial · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian, Seafood, Hawaii Regional Cuisine

The Reliable

Umekes isn't a wine destination, but the pricing is honest, the glass count is surprisingly high, and the Riesling-with-poke move alone is worth knowing about. Send your friends here for the food; the wine will take care of itself.

Outback Steakhouse Kailua-Kona

Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Steakhouse

The Lazy List

This is a chain wine program doing exactly what corporate tells it to — nothing more, nothing less. If you're in Kailua-Kona for the wine, you're in the wrong zip code and definitely the wrong restaurant.

Humpy's Big Island Alehouse

Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · American pub fare and bar

The Lazy List

Humpy's is a genuinely fun spot to watch a game, drink a craft beer, and catch a sunset over Ali'i Drive — but the wine list is an afterthought at best. If wine matters to you even a little, save it for a proper dinner elsewhere and come here for the cold beer and the view.

Beach Tree Restaurant at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Hualalai Resort / Kaupulehu · Kailua-Kona · Italian-inspired coastal cuisine with Hawaiian and Mediterranean influences

The Reliable

Beach Tree is a reliably well-run resort wine program with real producers and a sommelier who knows the list — just come in clear-eyed that you're paying Four Seasons Hawaii prices for the privilege. If someone else is expensing it, order the Leflaive and don't look back.

Jackie Rey's Ohana Grill

Kuakini Highway / Inland Kona · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary American and Island-inspired seafood

The Reliable

Jackie Rey's is a reliable neighborhood spot with a wine list that matches its vibe: comfortable, familiar, and a little pricey for what it is. Send a friend here for a great meal — just tell them to go Sancerre on the wine and not stare too long at the Kistler price tag.

Kona Brewing Co. Pub Kailua-Kona

Kailua Industrial / Pawai Place · Kailua-Kona · American pub fare, brewery, pizza bar

The Lazy List

Come to Kona Brewing for the beer — seriously, the beer is the point — and if you must have wine, grab a glass of Cava or the sparkling rosé and enjoy the breeze. The wine list is an afterthought, and you should treat it like one.

ULU

Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Asian, Hawaiian

The Reliable

ULU earns its Wine Spectator badge by doing the basics right in a setting that could easily get away with doing nothing right at all. Send a friend here for the ocean view and the fresh fish — just temper expectations on wine discovery.

ULU Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge

Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Asian, Hawaiian

The Reliable

ULU is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting does half the work — but the list plays it safe in a room that could afford to take a few risks. Come for the ocean air and the local fish, order the Jordan or Kistler, and enjoy the view.