Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant

We came to the restaurant with high expectations based on the menu and Google ratings, but left disappointed. Our bill was nearly $110 before tip, without drinks, and the meal and service didn’t justify the price. The food was uneven. The Farm Fresh Salad arrived quickly, but for $15 it was chopped romaine, a couple of halved cherry tomatoes, a few cucumber slices, red onion, croutons, and papaya seed dressing. It didn’t feel worthy of its name. The salmon, which was cooked perfectly, was overwhelmed by the macadamia romesco puree, and the vegetables underneath seemed like whatever the kitchen had on hand. The Korean Grilled Chicken plate also felt mismatched: a plain, lightly seasoned, overcooked breast, broccolini that tasted promising but wasn’t hot inside, rice with what seemed like syrup on it instead of blended flavors, and pickled vegetables that were the one highlight. We ate our mains quickly and skipped dessert. The three options looked good, but there were no prices on the menu, and our server couldn’t say whether there was a fourth choice, a cookie. Some tables had bread, but it wasn’t offered to us. The server was nice, but seemed unprepared. We were told the fresh local catch was salmon, which isn’t local, and that Mahi Mahi might or might not be available. It wasn’t. The hostess was surly and unwelcoming from the start. We had a 5 PM booking and arrived at 4:55, but were told seating started at 5, we were third on the list, and should wait in the gift shop. We heard her speak the same way to other guests, so it wasn’t just us. About 15 minutes later, we were seated after a table without reservations that had arrived a few minutes after we did. We expected reservations to get priority regardless of arrival time, but that wasn’t how it went.

Dinner at Kilauea Lodge was excellent. We had crab cakes and risotto, then carrot cake, and the food was amazing. Makayla took great care of us, and it was nice meeting Patrick, the new kitchen manager. I’d definitely recommend eating here, but book at least a day ahead.

We loved room 11, the honeymoon suite. The fireplace and balcony were both put to use, and it made for a perfect overnight stay. We were based on the Kona side but wanted one night near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which I’d recommend visiting first. My Facebook group had Kilauea Lodge near the top of its recommendations, so we booked right away. We reserved dinner well in advance and would recommend that too. Breakfast was small, fresh, and just right before we headed north to the botanical gardens and Akaka falls. We’ll definitely be back!

We spent two of our island week here. The room was clean and better than I expected, and the location made it quick to get to the national park and nearby food and other amenities. After long days hiking in the parks, we enjoyed the shared hot tub. Continental breakfast is served Monday through Saturday, a nice way to start the day. The restaurant has a Sunday brunch for an extra charge, though we didn’t try it. I don’t think the rooms have AC for hotter weather, but that wasn’t an issue for us in January. I’d recommend this lodge to anyone staying in Volcano.