Restaurants near Hakalau

“Today at the Hakalau Farmers' Market I purchased the freshest, ripest, juiciest, and tastiest mangosteens I've had since I lived in rural SE Asia 25 years ago. For $5 per pound!!! Also two dozen free range eggs (washed or unwashed). And a homemade sourdough chocolate croissant (which I ate before I could take a picture). But only four stars because a few vendors have attitude problems. Perhaps they think themselves to good to sell to non-kamaʻāina.”

“We padded into The Hive on the Big Island like the regal Maine Coons we are—tails high, whiskers forward, senses alert. And let us tell you: this place is the cat’s meow.

The vibe? Vibrant, joyful, and humming (yes, humming) with just the right amount of buzz. Not too busy, not too slow—just a perfectly balanced purr. The kind of rhythm that lets you linger without feeling rushed, yet still keeps the energy sparkling like a sunbeam on a freshly groomed coat.

First, the goods. So many cute presents to buy, we nearly knocked something off a shelf out of pure excitement. Thoughtfully curated little treasures everywhere—gifts that make you want to paw through every corner. If we had thumbs, we’d be swiping half the shop into our tote. Claw-ver merchandising, truly.

Now let’s talk about the food—because we are not kitten around.

The sweet pesto sandwich? Absolutely hiss-terical (in the best way). Fresh, vibrant, layered with flavor that made our whiskers quiver. It was herbaceous and bright, yet grounded—like a well-balanced prowl through a garden.

The lovely “Common Latte”? Silky. Smooth. Froth so fine it could rival the fluff on our winter ruffs. Comforting but not basic—more lion-hearted than housecat.

The vanilla matcha? Earthy, softly sweet, and unexpectedly elegant. It felt like sipping a breeze under palm trees. We lapped it up with refined enthusiasm.

And the deluxe toast? Listen. This was no ordinary loaf lounging about. This was a stacked, textural masterpiece. Each bite had crunch, creaminess, depth. It deserved its own scratching post of honor.

What truly makes The Hive special, though, is the atmosphere. There’s a warmth here—not just temperature, but spirit. The staff radiate kindness. The space invites you to settle in, curl up, and stay awhile. It’s the kind of café where you could easily spend hours grooming your thoughts and watching the world wander by.

In summary: we arrived curious cats.
We left fat, happy, and fully feline fine.

Five paws up. We’ll absolutely be prowling back. 🐾”

“Visiting Family on Island, we're from mainland, came here after falls visit, beautiful patio to sit and eat. had the special of the day hot pocket. Best sandwich ever beautiful beautiful location”

“Wonderful experience! We did the Tuesday afternoon tour and learned about the history of baumkuchen and some other fun history in an engaging presentation. If you want to see the baking in action, it doesn't happen during the tour time; instead, the tour focuses on an intro/discussion, a short guided tour around the beautifully landscaped property, and then a final wrap-up at the gift shop. Friendly people, tasty products. They also sell culinary salts; the green one is delicious. Bring bug spray if the mosquitoes like you. We loved this visit. Thanks so much!”

“This is super fluffy snow with delicious real fruit syrops.

You won't find gummy bear and cotton candy here.

Definitely one of the very best shave ice shops.”

“Stopped for a quick bite on my way back to my hotel. Building is on the side of the road with only a small sign. Recommend use GPS to help you navigate. Parking is very limited. Spaces were full when I arrived so I parked across the street in the lot for the park. Very casual place with small menu. There is a gift shop type area for local purchases and a fruit stand on site. I ordered a smoothie and pork tacos from the menu. Tacos were good. Smoothie was refreshing. Menu selection is small but with a decent amount of variety. I would recommend for a quick bite or a smoothie stop.”

“1000% the best burger you can get anywhere on the island. Chef Cody's special sauce and bun to patty ratio is perfect. I've been searching for a burger for many years and finally have found it! Gotta try their matcha latte and other coffee drinks, they're all great!”

“This food is 5 Stars ALL DAY. Very large portions, flour tortillas are incredibly flaky, sauces flavorful and the caramel tortillas chips with whipped cream is to die for!”

“You gotta check this place out! Not just for the delicious food, but also the awesome experience! It's the kind of place where the staff lights up with smiles when they see you coming. We ordered the Ono Mama's Fish Wraps, and they were so onolicious, they 💯% broke da mouth! Big, fresh and filling, and I think I even detected beer batter. And, I have to rave about the coleslaw. I don't know what the secret ingredient is in that special sauce, but it was truly the best slaw we've ever had! I also have to mention how beautiful our plates looked, garnished with an orange slice and an exotic rambutan fruit. Service was super fast, we were lavished with aloha, the lanai was a lovely place to eat, and they even offer free self-serve water in large cups! And clean restrooms!”

“It’s a must stop before or after the falls , the guys are super talkative and friendly, they told me super cool infos, spots etc etc.. turst me on this one, check it out”

“My family and I were passing through this cute little town and decided to stop here.

We bought a couple of souvenirs including 3 jellies to take home from our family vacation strawberry, apricot and hot lime ginger. All three were not only delicious they were with aloha!”