Ma’s Nic Nats & Kava Stop

As a first time Kava drinker I appreciated the atmosphere and approachable nature of this shop. The proprietor, Alice, is very friendly and was helpful in explaining Kava and the various Kava strains.
I’d say Kava’s effects are mild but notice for a small bowl, and are mildly aesthetic and mood elevating with clear anti-​anxiety properties.
Via Google and erowid’s vault onset is 20 – 30 minutes, peak is 3 hours, duration is 3 – 6, and «after effects» are 9 – 18.

Came here for the kombucha which was fantastic. April is super sweet. Next time I’ll try the kava.

Cool place to try kava. Interior is TINY, we filled it with our group of 4.
Kava is definitely a different experience — if you’re not an adventurous eater (picky) i highly recommend some soda or juice as a chaser.
Kava’s used for effect rather than taste. It is relaxing and mellowing though not like alcohol and you can drive after.
One person in our group was feeling some pain from an injury earlier and stated that it felt way better after having some kava which is pretty cool.
According to wikipedia it may lower short term social anxiety (anecodatally i can confirm this) and may also have some liver toxic side effect i cant speak to that but i’d be careful about frequent use, and id be doubly careful about drug interactions (dont take with/​after tylenol).

This place still exits and worth a stop. Not much signage from the highway. Extremely nice to stop by and chat over some kava.

Wonderful, laid back Kava Bar tucked out of the way near a laundromat in Captain Cook. Don’t come here expecting a quick shell. Ma and whomever is there at the time will keep you talking and listening for hours. We’ve also been there when there was impromptu singing with ukuleles and drumming on the tabletops. The kava is different from Kanaka, in town, but I prefer it, a little more potent, but with a milder taste.

My BFF and I stopped here by sheer luck. As we were driving back from site seeing the volcanos down south and heading back to Kona side we saw alittle sign next to the road «KAVA» and we screeched to a halt. It was literally a hole in the wall physically, but we found welcome arms to greet us. Snacks, ladies singing and playing ukelele. What a great way to end our day of siteseeing. After 2 large kava I was very happy and relaxed… wishing I could be there right now.

I came in here a while back to have a quick shell of kava and to my pleasant surprise, I found there is no such thing as a quick shell here and that is in no way a bad thing. This little hole in the wall has to be one of the most welcoming places I have ever been to. Ma, her husband and daughters were all super friendly and were great to just sit around with and have a relaxing conversation over some kava and snacks. I only bought a tasty mango smoothie and one shell of kava (which in spite of still tasting like well, kava, was better tasting than most and quite strong) but ma gave me a complimentary shell of kava and some snacks to go along with it. I ended up staying here for hours and had a great time just kicking back and talking with all the locals that came in throughout the afternoon. The only reason I left was to go back to work, which I may or may not have been late for.
Check this place out if you are in the area, even if kava isn’t your thing and get a smoothie and hang out and talk story with some of the nicest people you will meet on the island. It isn’t often that you get a big hug from a business owner who treats you like one of their own family. That really should happen more.

The Fijian ava root used at Ma’s is top notch… sweeter and more creamy than the more commonly used varieties. Not to mention the shop owners themselves. Ma and her daughters (Suki, April, and Maka) and grandchildren are an awesome group of wahine! They run the shop with Aloha, and give it freely to everyone around them.
Ma’s also has some retail shopping… homemade kava candles, soaps, and creams. Also decorative gourds and handmade jewelry from local artists. They have «Ma’s» T-​shirts and some other apparel as well.
All around, this is a MUST if you’re in the South Kona area for even a short period of time.

My experience with kava has been minimal — I only ever had the stuff in the form of Yogi Tea’s Kava Stress Relief. My knowledge of the history and tradition, however, had me very excited that I would be visiting kava bars during my vacation in Hawaii. My boyfriend and I stopped at a kava bar in downtown Kona, which was alright enough, but clearly catered to in-​town tourists — we wanted the real deal. Luckily enough, while diving back to our temporary residence in Captain Cook, we saw a homemade sign advertising a kava bar up ahead that was tucked into a tiny shopping center. Well, why not?
What you’ll find is a very small place with two cute little girls and their friendly mother — hence their business name (Nic and Nat, get it?). We had two very strong drinks of kava without any juice or other stuff added, turning our throats numb and our minds into a stoned state. We had a lovely conversation with Ma, who is actually a 3^rd or 4^th generation Hawaiian — I know this since she spoke of a grandfather who drank kava and noni juice. We bought a $ 20 bag of very potent kava to make ourselves back on the mainland, and honestly, I can’t wait to surprise/​gross out/​delight my kava virgin friends.
Don’t rate this place based on kava, because kava is one of those things that just isn’t for everyone. I love the stuff, but not a lot of people do, so please consider it an experience and don’t judge based solely on your impression of kava. Ma is very informative about telling you how to make it, how much to use, and how to consume it — for instance, the best way is to mix it with coconut water and consume it on an empty stomach so that you feel the full effects.
That being said, I know that I’ll be ordering pure kava to be shipped from Ma to the mainland until I return once again.

You might find that earthy, tingly kava’s not exactly your cup of tea, but Big Ma & her lovely daughters will win you over with their hospitality and spellbinding music (Maka breathes soulful blues into that uke… AMAZING!
). By the time you’re on your way, you’ll have tried an ancient Fijian tradition & been adopted by a warm, Hawaiian family!
KAVA ($ 15 bowl, serves 6):
To be blunt, the stuff looks & smells unappetizing, and isn’t my favorite thing: grey, murky broth. But in perspective, some might say the same for coffee. It’s all about the experience & cultural exposure. Kava is bland, slightly pungent & bitter. It’s meant to be shared socially and sipped from coconut cups and leaves a distinct tingling sensation on the tongue & mouth that’s both invigorating & relaxing. Not clear on the pharmacochemical details, but it’s meant to clear the mind and improve sleep quality.
Glad for the authentic experience & newfound Kona family!