Don The Beachcomber, Kona, HI (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

T tikiyaki Tiki Socialite The Exotic Port of REDONDO BEACH, CA Joined: May 18, 2004 Posts: 2725	T tikiyaki Posted posted on Fri, May 2, 2008 4:23 PM I have to disagree with gator Rob's assessment...except for the prices. Yes, expensive. Definitely a special occasion dinner place, where you have your on nice, expensive dinner on your vacation, then eat a burger with your toes in the sand at Huggos (the cheaper outdoor bar, not the restaurant portion) , closeby the rest of the time. BUT....while it may not be a super high TIPSY factory restaurant, it is VERY cool inside, and it has one thing that NONE of the mainland Tiki restaurants have but tried to emulate with murals etc...The amazing Hawaii Ocean view. While most places have a really nice mural, the view that spans the entire DTB restaurant is priceless. It's the real deal. The sound of the waves beating against the lava rock shoreline, just 8 feet below, only reinforces the ambiance. Also, the classic Royal Kona Hotel that houses the restaurant is as Tiki as it gets in Kona. Lots of sculpted wood, concrete...all in the classic Mid Century Modern / Tiki Style, a great water feature, and the entire lanai area between the restaurant and the Mai Tai Bar has comfortable lounge chairs where you can sit, put your feet up on the short wall, sip a drink and watch the sun set over the Kona Kai....PARADISE ! The view from the Lanai at Don's....ahhhhh.... Royal Kona Resort...Hut at entrance. Cool sculpted wall at the Royal Kona The food, I have to say, at least what I had, was damn good. The main centerpiece with a plaster/plastic Giant Moai, amongst a waterfall and fake foliage looks out over the dining room...yea, it's fake, but in the best possible Polynesian Pop kinda way.. At night the entire length of the wall of the restaurant over the ocean blazes with tiki torches, and creates a perfect Polynesian, super relaxing vibe. Don's Torches a blazin' Meanwhile, the bar is basically an open air, patio bar, with a few tikis, and that great swimming pool right next to it, throwing off a great blue glow at night time. On the Luau nights, the Luau stage is right on the other side of the pool, so you can hear the Luau loud and clear, and see alot of it too. This was the first Luau I ever attended on my first ever Hawaii trip in 04' (before the DTB was built) So, please make sure you visit DTB if you're on the Big Island, if, for nothing else, to have a drink and watch the sun set. Sunset on the Kona Kai Do you have your TIKIYAKI ORCHESTRA CD YET ? http://www.tikiyakiorchestra.com [ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-05-02 17:59 ] [ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-05-02 18:01 ]

I have to disagree with gator Rob's assessment...except for the prices. Yes, expensive. Definitely a special occasion dinner place, where you have your on nice, expensive dinner on your vacation, then eat a burger with your toes in the sand at Huggos (the cheaper outdoor bar, not the restaurant portion) , closeby the rest of the time.

BUT....while it may not be a super high TIPSY factory restaurant, it is VERY cool inside, and it has one thing that NONE of the mainland Tiki restaurants have but tried to emulate with murals etc...The amazing Hawaii Ocean view. While most places have a really nice mural, the view that spans the entire DTB restaurant is priceless. It's the real deal. The sound of the waves beating against the lava rock shoreline, just 8 feet below, only reinforces the ambiance.

Also, the classic Royal Kona Hotel that houses the restaurant is as Tiki as it gets in Kona. Lots of sculpted wood, concrete...all in the classic Mid Century Modern / Tiki Style, a great water feature, and the entire lanai area between the restaurant and the Mai Tai Bar has comfortable lounge chairs where you can sit, put your feet up on the short wall, sip a drink and watch the sun set over the Kona Kai....PARADISE !

The view from the Lanai at Don's....ahhhhh....

Royal Kona Resort...Hut at entrance.

Cool sculpted wall at the Royal Kona

The food, I have to say, at least what I had, was damn good. The main centerpiece with a plaster/plastic Giant Moai, amongst a waterfall and fake foliage looks out over the dining room...yea, it's fake, but in the best possible Polynesian Pop kinda way..

At night the entire length of the wall of the restaurant over the ocean blazes with tiki torches, and creates a perfect Polynesian, super relaxing vibe.

Don's Torches a blazin'

Meanwhile, the bar is basically an open air, patio bar, with a few tikis, and that great swimming pool right next to it, throwing off a great blue glow at night time. On the Luau nights, the Luau stage is right on the other side of the pool, so you can hear the Luau loud and clear, and see alot of it too. This was the first Luau I ever attended on my first ever Hawaii trip in 04' (before the DTB was built)

So, please make sure you visit DTB if you're on the Big Island, if, for nothing else, to have a drink and watch the sun set.

Sunset on the Kona Kai

Do you have your TIKIYAKI ORCHESTRA CD YET ?
http://www.tikiyakiorchestra.com

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-05-02 17:59 ]

[ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-05-02 18:01 ]

Post #377707 by tikiyaki on Fri, May 2, 2008 4:23 PM