Island Ono Loa Grill

Small place, big flavor!!
This gem is tucked off the main street. Everything is made FRESH to order: we’ve been twice and everything was GREAT. Burgers live up to the hype. Prices are very reasonable.

A handful of tables outside, and a small dining area inside. Super nice staff and ordering system (order and pay at the counter, then receive a buzzer). Ask for a loyalty card because you will be back!

Jan 2024

This is a great place tucked away in a not so easy pocket of shops downtown. Well worth the effort. Local beef is currently $1.29 extra, but worth it. Handcut fries were spot on. (Don't expect 5 Guys portions for the fries though.) Burger was cooked to medium, not overcooked. Onion rings were good, but a little "well done" for my taste. All in all a great spot for a good burger and fries. I like that they try to source ingredients locally and the staff seemed to be on top of things.

We loved the food here. It was the best loco moco I've ever had. Burgers were grilled over lava rock and tasted wonderful. Each other meal was great as well. Fish tacos were some of the best. We ended up here 3 times in the week visit.
Attaching two images: in-store full order of loco moco and then a take out 1/2 order.

One of the best burger places I’ve been to ever. I had the pesto burger, which is simply fantastic. I upgraded to the grass fed beef, because I had passed that farm earlier in the day. It was done perfectly. The burger was so juicy and thick. The fries are amazing. They are the perfect size, and are dark brown in color. Very crispy. 10/10 place o eat.

We have been in Kona for 8 days now looking for the best fresh fish tacos, and we found them here at Island Ono Loa Grill. Guten Free as well! Quick and friendly service, great tasting food and outdoor seating straight into the sunset. The pineapple slaw was a special treat as well.

Kona is home but I had to move away during the global health event. I come back at least once a year now and Island Ono Loa is one of the few stops I must make (even though it's not necessarily on my eating plan). The Paniolo BBQ Burger is da kine, and now they offer a beef upgrade. For $1.29 additional can get local grass fed Ka'u beef. Besides the best burger on the island, the house-cut russet fries are perfectly seasoned, the atmosphere is chill and the staff get choke aloha.
You won't regret this cheat meal.

A burger joint that lives up to the hype. We were recommended by a travel agent at one of the Body Glove booths to come here for the best burgers. When we saw audacious signage we were ready for a letdown that never came!

We tried a few different burgers and sandwiches to get a variety. The goat cheese on one burger was so creamy and the patty was truly juicy!

The pork sandwich was tender and juicy. It is huge and fun for kids to eat. It is messy which is what kids love!

The brewed tea is flavourful and perfect for washout down the amazing food. The seasoned fries are an excellent compliment yo the burgers. The coleslaw with pineapple was a unique Hawaiian treat.

The decor is fun and sets the tone for lively conversations and laughs.

I definitely recommend this burger restaurant. It is way better than the chain restaurants and other restaurants with burgers.

This was a great place to eat. The food tasted amazing (definitely certified ono aka delicious) and very filling. The staff was friendly and the service was relatively quick. All of the ingredients were fresh. It was very close to the ocean and local shops, and there was a bathroom inside (which was an extra bonus if you've been out and about). I would definitely recommend it to others!

Okay, we ate there once for takeaway and ended up going back 3 times! Their Loco Moco with the chargrilled burger takes it over the top!! Sooo good! And the chopped green onions on top, perfect!! The MacNut Pesto Goat cheese burger was incredible! Eat it as it comes! The Applewood Smoked bacon cheeseburger was excellent as well! The Paniolo BBQ cheeseburger, with onion rings on the burger, sooooo good! Their onion rings by themselves were great as well. We really liked this place!!

Hamburgers have amazing flavor just in the patties themselves. Got the Poblano Burger which was absolutely delicious. Also got the Ono Loa Loco Plate... So much food! My wife and I could've shared just the Loco Plate. Definitely recommend any burger or plate. Prices are not too bad either. Around $14-$17 for the burgers, The Ona Loa Loco Plate was $20. If you're craving a burger on the Big Island, I definitely recommend stopping here!

Excellent burgers! Delicious regular and sweet potato fries! Allergy friendly. We ate here multiple times on our vacation for either lunch or dinner. To-go orders did not have mushy buns due to thoughtful packing of containers! Macadamia Nut Goat Cheese Pesto Burger was superb! Highly recommend!

Kalua pork loco moco was amazing, best dish I had in Kona. Mac salad was also 😮‍💨 Still thinking about it weeks later..

Burgers are so good! Grab one to go and walk to the park nearby and enjoy the views! Everything about the burger was delicious. The bun was perfect, the burger itself was cooked perfectly, the cheese and bacon and grilled onions. Don’t pass this place by! They’ll make grilled cheese for the kiddos and have pulled pork which is also fantastic! Even the fries were amazingly good!

Best burger place on the BI. Ate outside cute little destination sits back. Amazing BBQ burger and cheeseburger fresh and huge! Warm fresh fries. One of our favorites better then the high end restaurants! Mahalo

The burgers and fries were so good!! 10/10. The volcano burger was amazing, the flavors were delicious and it was actually spicy! And the BBQ burger was super good as well. We upgraded to the local grass fed beef and the flavor of the meat and char were perfect.

Pretty good quick option for simple and delicious standard fare. Went last night on a Friday around 730. Parking was tough, but the store was not full. Ordered the spicy chicken which was excellent. Got the kalua pork for the wife and it was also very good. Mac salad was OK, but not recommended. Onion rings and fries were very good. The lava sauce and volcano sauce are both pretty spicy. I liked the volcano better. Our company had a bacon cheeseburger which was said to be a decent burger and the chicken pesto which was also very very good. Highly recommend for a reasonable quick meal.

I got the classic cheeseburger and was very happy with it. They use real cheddar and good ingredients. I paid the extra $1.30 for the local beef. I was very excited they had that option and for a very reasonable price. I also tried the side salad and fries I was very happy with both. Service was good, cashier was friendly and attentive even though he was very busy. I gave the atmosphere 4/5 just because it was just a classic burger joint interior nothing to complain about, but the food was excellent and the atmosphere was good.

Delicious! My fiance got the macadamia nut pesto burger with goat cheese. The burger was perfectly seared and yet moist, the bun soft and pillowy. The fries were seasoned just right, not too much not too little. My Kalua pork plate had amazing melt in your mouth pork, great rice. Definitely recommend this spot.

Great all around vibes. We unknowingly arrived as soon as they opened, and the man that took our order was very helpful. He said that the fish is fresh and brought daily, and I can confirm the fish tacos were excellent. Would definitely go back.

Was drawn in by their top 8 burgers in the USA sign and was not disappointed. I would like to try the other burgers on this list for sure, but loved the bacon cheeseburger here. It was cooked so nicely and not dry at all. The patty was done right. I also really really loved the fries. Was shocked they aren’t on the top 10 list as well. Highly recommend this place if you are up for a good burger.