Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant

Wake up to the sound of birds singing in this sweet location! Set back into lush, tropical plantings, this lodge feels like a place of respite – a place to breathe and relax.
The décor and feel is rustic, but there are modern upgrades. My room had a gas fireplace and rocking chairs, and the shower looked to be recently tiled with contemporary materials. Robes and a towel warmer were lovely amenities. The view from my room was beautiful, and the restaurant on site is very handy.
There was a downside that needs to be mentioned – the plumbing in my room (Kimura) had definite problems. While I was in the shower and all soaped up, the water pressure diminished to a trickle for several minutes. I was hoping it would recover and fortunately it did. But standing around shivering was not fun, and it felt like camping. Office told me there have been problems in that building. They apologized, but made no offer of anything to compensate.
Also, that evening the power went out all over the complex for about 20 minutes. Not sure how often this happens, but for sure it happened in December as well, because that’s the last time a guest signed to borrow a flashlight from them.
In spite of the problems I experienced I’m still a fan of the lodge but definitely would request a different room/​building next time.

Very cool décor and ambiance. The food was excellent and very reasonable price wise. They also had what looked like a delicious dessert menu, but we were so full from lunch that we didn’t partake.

We went here after a late night staying up to see the Halemaumau crater erupt. The ambiance for this place is great. I got the Green Sands omelette and it was my first time having sprouts in an omelette. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but the omelette was cooked very very well and was delicious when I took out the sprouts. It was also my first time trying spam. Now, I love hot dogs, so I expected spam would be a hit, but unfortunately it was waaay too salty. I don’t know if it was the preparation or the spam itself, but I couldn’t finished it. Everyone else in our party very much enjoyed their breakfasts as well. I would definitely come back here!

The Kilauea Lodge provides wonderful dining IN little Volcano Village. We live here locally. We especially enjoy breakfast or lunch at Kilauea Lodge. Dinner is wonderful too but much more expensive. The restaurant at Kilauea Lodge is MUCH better than the one at the Vocano House inside the park and only a mile or two away.
We just finished another delicious lunch. I can never decide if I prefer the German sausage plate with homemade sauerkraut and potatoes or the delicious Kau Burger with homemade barbecue sauce. My husband loves the fresh fish or the Reuben sandwich.
The lodge serves Kau coffee (I think it is even better than Kona coffee!) in a french press and they offer several dessert selections daily.
Wonderful service today from Hunter and it is only his third day on the job!

1÷09÷2016
I reserved the Kipuka Room for a baby shower and was very pleased with the service (thank you ladies), food and the room itself. Very nice!
Many thanks to Terry for assisting me with the planning.
Would definitely do this again for another event.
Mahalo!

I’ll have to shamefully admit that this was my first visit to Kilauea Lodge and Restaurant. Why… OH…why haven’t I come here before? This restaurant is nestled away amongst the mist and Ohia trees in Volcano Village, just across the highway from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (5 minutes). As opposed to most parts of the island, the temperature in this area is significantly cooler, due to it being at a higher elevation, making this place nothing short of cozy.
The restaurant has a modern Hawaiian feel with a country twist. The seating area is very spacious. There is pleasing local art work along the walls and mental artwork hanging from the high ceiling. The hard wooden tables are decorated with blown glass vases and fresh cut Anthurium flowers. The lighting is dim which makes for a nice romantic setting, regardless of time of day. There is a warm little fire place and couch situated to the left of the entrance that offers a complete homely touch.
Now for the food… I tried the Smoked Salmon & Crab Sandwich Special. The filling was marveled with fresh grapes and diced apples chunks, an unexpectedly sweet flavor. The combination sounds odd but believe me it was very delicious, a bit messy, but delicious. The croissant was obviously baked fresh, soft and flaky. The lettuce crunchy and fresh. I opted for a small side salad instead of fries to complete my meal. My husband enjoyed his Reuben and fresh cut fries. If there was anything that could have been made better, it would be the complimentary banana bread. The bread was a nice thought but I couldn’t get past the first bite due to the gummy consistency. Note to the Baker: Using less bananas may fix this issue for you.
I do plan to dine here again in the near future. The dinner menu looks a lot more interesting so I posted some pictures for you all to decide if this type of dinning matches your taste. I hope you all enjoy!
Almost forgot to add… No complaints about the service. Service was excellent!
Side notes for travelers…
If you are visiting and can afford to stay in this area I would suggest doing so to get the maximum benefit of this section of the island. It is a bit out of the way. At least a 1 hour to 45 minute drive from Hilo (for all of you law abiding citizens), maybe 35 minutes for you speed demons (not recommended).
It’s a beautiful area on a clear sunny day but may pose some challenges if Mother Nature decides she wants to hide this mountain with mist. This area is very foggy on rainy days and pitch black and cold at night. Don’t venture to far away from any well lit area without a light source. You literally won’t be able to see your hand in front of you on a heavy cloud covered night.
You may want to call the HVNP ahead of time for a weather update and dress accordingly.
Nearby:
–Hawaii Volcanoes National Park ($ 15.00 entry fee — good for a week)
–KMC Bowling Alley & Recreation Room /​10 Pin Grill (In HVNP) (Small but great for Kids)
–Eagles Lighthouse Café — Sandwiches and Soup (Great place to fuel up after a hike)
–Volcano Winery (Try the $ 8.00 sampler /​Wine Tasting)
–Volcano Golf Course (for Golfers of course)
–Kipuka Puaulu (Bird Park) Trail (for you outdoors hiker types)
–Akatsuka Orchid Farm (Hilo Side of HVNP)
–Honi Wai Café (Hilo Side of HVNP)
–Punaluu Bakery (Kau Side of HVNP)
–Punaluu Beach Park (Black Sand Beach — Kau Side of HVNP — 20 minute drive)

Old Volcano Rd. doesn’t seem like it would harbor much of anything, aside from old houses, but this little gem sits near the Wright and Old Volcano Rd junction. The atmosphere is very cozy and intimate, the food is tasty, and the service is great!
The first thing you see is the restaurant, but the guest parking is closer to the different lodges. They have a cute little gazebo with polo sets for guests to fiddle with in the lawn. Inside of the restaurant is very classy-​cozy Hawaiiana in style. It’s both foreign and familiar for me.
The food was pretty good, but not anything spectacular. I had the Mauna Kea burger, which was very tasty and that perfect level of juiciness that kept my burger moist but not falling apart. The pastrami was a clever substitute for bacon. My boyfriend got the Chief Ranger omelette, which we would recommend if you’re looking for a breakfast item on their lunch menu.
Our server was VERY attentive and friendly. Our coffee cups were never empty and she frequently checked in to see if we were doing alright. She was very good with her dessert recommendations.
The only disappointing thing about my visit was that they didn’t have buffalo, which I was sincerely looking forward to trying. Our server quickly informed me and offered to change it to a different meat, which I gladly did, but still. Buffalooo! I’m sure my rating of the food would have been different if I had gotten the antelope or buffalo. Oh well, next time!

Pro: unlike most places on the island, cocktails had perceptible amts of alcohol
Major major pro: extremely good service, with well-​trained staff. A setting with a dozen+ pieces and a sculpted napkin is placed in 30 seconds flat.
Con: really kitchy; outdated, butter-​heavy menu. Who still serves anything l’orange?

Profoundly disappointing dining experienceMade reservations well in advance for a large party of friends, some of whom haven’t seen each other for more than 5 years. We were all excited about finally getting together. Disappointingly, not only was the restaurant management so poor that we had to wait over half an hour for our table, but they split our table up. Why would we make reservations in advance at a restaurant to dine at separate tables? Why would any restaurant manager think that this was acceptable? Friends flew in from the mainland and outer islands for this special holiday reunion and Kilauea Lodge Restaurant Management really demonstrated a blatant lack of respect and consideration for our party. It’s was the most unconscionable dining experience.
If you love Hawaii and her people please find another restaurant to patronize; one that respects the local Hawaiian community. Heartbreaking disappointment.

Good restaurant with unique dishes.
Food: 4 of 5
Atmosphere: 4 of 5
Service: 4 of 5
I would recommend this place if: you were looking to have a nice dinner in an intimate setting.
This restaurant had some unique and great tasting options. I highly recommend the lilikoi margarita! It’s a delightfully sweet and tangy flavor. My husband had the lobster and I had the ahi tuna blackened. My husband’s lobster was good, but not spectacular. The Ahi Tuna was very good, cooked to perfection and topped with an island fruity version of pico de gallo. The atmosphere is nice and intimate, great setting for a couple to enjoy a nice dinner together.

Incredibly cozy and personable. What a fantastic alternative to the touristy locations nearby!
We stayed in room 9, and it was great. Tons of space, very comfortable bed, and a semi-​private garden in the back. The towel warmer was a nice touch in the bathroom, as were the numerous hiking books peppered around the space. The common area for our ‘block’ was also awesome, including a wood burning fireplace!
If you like quiet, unique stays, this is the place for you.

Amazing ambience! My boyfriend and I loved it! The food was amazing too! He got the rabbit and I got the fresh catch, best meal we had so far in the big island.
We didn’t have any reservations, so we had to wait. It didn’t take long for us to get a table. And they have a gift shop and cozy sofas to keep us comfy and entertained while waiting.
I love how they showed us the dessert selection. I didn’t have room for dessert coz my meal was so good that I cleaned my plate!
Parking is plenty.
The place is really nice, it’s secluded like everything is around here. It’s like going to your grandma’s ancestral house and getting superb meal!
5 star! 2 thumbs up! It’s a must visit in Volcano!

Service was good. Food was excellent. Atmosphere was pleasant. I would definitely come back! If you’re looking for a nice restaurant with good food but not high in price this is it! And they have specials daily!

We truly enjoyed our dinner and drinks after our trip to the volcano. Suzey was fantastic with serving and the food was superb. We had the Brie with the papaya sauce it was delicious. We also had the seafood pasta which had the most amazing sauce. I had the salad and Suzey brought another salad for my husband as we had extra dressing, the duck soup was also very delicious just like chicken noodle with duck. Great way to end the evening to our very long day!

Great location, great food, great garden, hot tub, beautiful rooms with Hawaiian quilt bed covers. The duck l’orange was divine. There are a couple of houses with several rooms with a common room in the middle. The common room had a nice fireplace, couches, many board games, and great books. I found a great book that I gotta find online when I get home.
Everyone was very nice and considerate for my 5 month old baby.

Pretty spectacular spot to stop at if you’re visiting the volcano national park — highly recommended. So good the first time that we came back the next day.
Our first visit, we arrived a little early for dinner (they start serving at 5pm), so we walked around the grounds a bit and visited their cute gift shop. We even got to meet the resident senior cat, who was quite friendly!
We were made to feel very welcome, everyone was warm and friendly, and our waitress, Ellen, was simply outstanding. She didn’t rush us, gave us plenty of detail on the menu and specials, and was probably one of the nicest people we’ve had as a server ever. Part of the reason we came back! And yes, the food was outstanding too — excellent appetizer (crab cake special), soup, and entrée (Kampachi special, blackened). Great flavor, without being too powerful or overbearing,
Our visit on the day after was not as great unfortunately — we still had a great time (and it was worth the trip back), but it wasn’t as spectacular as the first night. I got the prosciutto primavera, but it was in a much heavier bechamel sauce than I was expecting. It could’ve easily been done in half the sauce. I ended up trading my hubby for his lamb provencal, which was excellent, but even he was a little turned off by how much sauce there was on the primavera. It tasted good, just a little too much of it!
Our server the second night wasn’t as warm either — we got someone else who didn’t really go over the specials in any detail, and we almost felt a bit rushed. Not to the point of being rude, but it was noticeably different from our first visit.
All in all, it’s still a great place to check out, it’s a cute location, with a great atmosphere and decent food. Ask for Ellen if she’s there! And just be aware some dishes are much better than others — get the Kampachi if they have it available!

Found this on Unilocal with a park-​weary family hungry for an early dinner. Called at 4:45 for a 5pm reservation? No problem.
Our waitress Suzy was excellent and brought extra kids activities for the children.
Meals – get the antelope in herb wine sauce. So yummy yet I scarcely got any as our 10 year daughter ate nearly all of it. Continuing the adventuresome theme, our son got the duck breast and loved it, fending off efforts of any who tried to snag a piece.
Great German-​tinged atmosphere. Lightest, airiest bread ever comes with your meal.

Overall impression:
Outstanding service, food, ambience, and value. One of the top 5 dining experiences I have ever had.
Average price (dinner): $ 40−50/person
Tips:
–Make reservations! They run out of spots fast!
–located outside the park so you don’t have to pay an entrance fee
–visit the neat little gift shop inside!
Positives:
–the service was absolutely outstanding
–the food was superb. Every dish was done nearly perfectly
–beautiful ambience. Absolutely loved it. Perfect for the area.
Negatives:
–I guess the lilikoi margarita was just a little above average. And seemed out of place for the ambience. But it was still pretty good!
The Service
Outstanding. Our server was extremely nice and made lots of helpful tips. She knew the menu and the dishes very well. Her suggestions were on point and it did not seem like she was pushy about it either. The bus people were great about filling our water and making sure we had everything else we needed, as well. They were always checking up on us to be sure we were doing fine. They also did the small little extras like making a little nene bird out of the foil to hold our leftover bread!
The Food
Every single dish was a 10. That includes the delicious beet with beef broth soup (I hate beets but I couldn’t stop drinking the soup!), and the side salad with berry vinagriette was delicious! We had the Brie with bread and apple/​mango salsa for appetizer. I can’t stop thinking about it! It was so good! For main dish, we had the leg of antelope and the catch of the day-​Ono with a lemon caprese sauce. They were both superb. The antelope was very interesting. Sort of a chewiness to it, with a hint of gamey flavor. The sauce they made fits perfectly with it. Oh, and the portion sizes are generous, so be prepared to bring some home! Great value for your money!
The Ambience
Absolutely amazing. Love the old lodge feel. Blends perfectly with the cold weather outside. The table decorations were appropriate and ornate. Love the large fireplace. Love the hapuu ferns outside the windows. It was great.
Huge recommend for going here! I would seriously consider flying to Hilo again just to eat at this place!

I can’t believe I’ve grown up on the island and haven’t heard about the place until recently!
This is a historical building spruced up into a fancy little restaurant. I believe it’s seating by reservation only but my family and I (party of 4) were able to make a reservation just a few minutes before we arrived for dinner.
My brother had already been to this restaurant before and raved about how extraordinary the food was. I was expecting a bigger menu with local ingredients which is not the case; their drink menu was larger than their dinner menu. The restaurant specializes in a more European/​Gernman menu and according to the waitress, the menu changes every night.
Their prices are a bit on the pricier side, so our party ordered several different dishes and just shared it between us. The lilikoi margarita tastes like actual lilikoi, none of that artificial stuff. Their brie appetizer (their most popular appetizer) and was very delicious. My aunt had their duck, she was expecting it to be cooked in a more «local» way but still enjoyed the taste. My brother had their special, antelope schnitzel with lemon caper source and very much enjoyed his dish. My husband ordered their New York steak, he said it was good. I had their eggplant marinara over pasta, it was good as well.
I wish their dinner menu had a little more selection as I’m pregnant and the majority of the menu that was offered that night, I either couldn’t eat or didn’t have an appetite for. And I think my brother hyped up the place so much that I was expecting more. But overall, it was a good experience and I would go their again.

Back again for our annual stay at Kilauea Lodge, this time at Pii Mauna House! This is our 16^th year staying at Kilauea Lodge!
Auwe! The Lodge is up for sale for $ 5.9 million… What a steal! But will new ownership change the wonderful atmosphere that is the heart of Kilauea Lodge?
Hopefully, the new owners will be as wonderful, welcoming, and gracious as Albert and Lorna Jeyte, the current owners, have been through the years! I truly hope the new owners will maintain the wonderful ohana feeling and true Aloha spirit that all of us repeat customers have enjoyed and come to expect at Kilauea Lodge! We’ve been repeat guests since 1999!

Ich war zweimal da essen, einmal hatte ich mich für die Hähnchen-​Brust und einmal für das Lamm entschieden. Beides war vorzüglich und ist definitiv zu empfehlen. Hausgemachtes Brot wird serviert und schmeckt sehr gut.