Great view, forgot to try on wine
Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiian Café and American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Island Lava Java Kona’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You're sitting on a lanai above Kailua Bay, the trade winds are doing their thing, and then the wine list arrives — six options, all of them the kind of bottles you'd find at a hotel minibar or an airport Hudson News. This list was clearly not the point. Coffee is the point.
Six labels, six by-the-glass pours, zero bottle options listed — the entire wine program fits on a Post-it note. What's here leans predictably California and crowd-pleaser: Seaglass Chardonnay, Sean Minor Cabernet, J Vineyards Pinot Noir. The Maso Canali Pinot Grigio is the lone Italian entry and honestly the most interesting thing on the list, which tells you a lot. There are no regional producers, no local Hawaii wine attempts, no natural wines, no depth whatsoever — just a short stack of recognizable labels checked off a distributor sheet.
Every single wine on the list is by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize there are only six of them and no bottles to speak of. Prices run $10–$14 a pour, which feels like a convenience tax for the ocean view rather than a reflection of what's in the glass. Rotation appears to be nonexistent — this list has the energy of something that hasn't changed since 2019.
Maso Canali Pinot Grigio — $13
It's the only wine here with a producer worth mentioning. Maso Canali is a solid Trentino estate and the Pinot Grigio is clean and food-friendly — genuinely the most defensible pour on this list.
Fleur de Mer Rosé
It's Provence rosé in a sea of safe California pours, which makes it stand out by default. Light, dry, and actually built for warm-weather outdoor drinking — which describes this patio perfectly. Most people will order the Chardonnay out of habit; don't.
Wycliff Brut Sparkling Wine
Wycliff is bottom-shelf domestic sparkling at any price — the kind of thing that shows up at office holiday parties. At $10–$14 a glass in a vacation-town restaurant, you're paying a tourist premium for something that retails for under $8 a bottle. Order the Prosecco if you need bubbles.
Fleur de Mer Rosé + Fresh Fish Tacos
Dry Provence rosé and fresh fish tacos are made for each other — the wine's bright acidity cuts through any richness from the catch while the oceanfront setting does the rest of the work.
The Bottom Line
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.
Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Hawaii Regional Cuisine / Asian Fusion Seafood Grill
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Italian osteria with locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients
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.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Beachside Hawaiian and Pacific Rim
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Alii Drive · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian-style barbecue / plate lunches
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian-inspired and pan-Pacific fare with a classic tiki bar
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary American and Seafood
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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