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Hours
Sun
15:00 - 21:00
Mon
15:00 - 21:00
Tue
15:00 - 21:00
Wed
15:00 - 21:00
Thu
15:00 - 21:00
Fri
15:00 - 21:00
Sat
15:00 - 21:00
Ratings and reviews
3.0
Details
Someone from this business manages this listing.
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CUISINES
American, Barbecue, Hawaiian
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Free Wifi, Table Service
Is this restaurant a hidden gem or off-the-beaten path?
Details
About
Kiawe Smokehouse at Daylight Mind is your premier BBQ restaurant located in the heart of Kona. Come visit our oceanside location to be served locally sourced, fresh food, and to experience extraordinary BBQ smoked in-house! If you are looking for an amazing meal or to discover the world of Hawaiian BBQ, we invite you and your Ohana to Kiawe Smokehouse!
CUISINES
American, Barbecue, Hawaiian
Meals
Lunch, Dinner
FEATURES
Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Street Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Free Wifi, Table Service
Contribute
3.0
12 reviews
Excellent
2
Very good
3
Average
3
Poor
3
Terrible
1
davideddoc
Houston266 contributions
Jun 2019 • family
Wanted a quick bite thought we’d see if the reviews were accurate. It’s in the queens mall at Waikoloa Service was fine, food very average. Pulled pork and the ribs over cooked and dry. Sauces were ok. no brisket on a Friday night?
Written 3 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tstlkechkn
Portland315 contributions
May 2019 • friends
This place has all the makings to be great but fell way short.
The name and menu of this resturaunt changes from the morning brunch to the evening dinner menu at 3:00PM. We arrived at 3 PM and we were given a lunch/brunch menu. Once we ordered the server came back 15 min later he returned and informed us that the chef was no longer making the morning menu items and we had to re-order as he left to go get the dinner menus. Upon his return he handed us our new dinner menus and promised he would be back soon to take our order. Twenty minutes later and everyone with empty drinks the server returned to take our orders and inform us that ribs were not avaliable. Taking our orders and not refilling our water or other beverage glasses he sauntered off to submit out food order. By the time we had been at the resturaunt an hour and twenty (yes 1:20), our food shows up and the server then asks if we would like a refill on the drinks. All 3 of us said "yes please". Upon his return with the 3 fresh beverages we find out he only got 1 out of the 3 correct (all 3 drinks were off the menu, nothing custom).
On to the food. The presentation was decent on all 3 plates.
I had the pastrami. There was a nice fat cap on the meat that was peppered but the meat was still room temperature, dry and tough. I ordered the mac n cheese and french fries to go with with the meal, both of which were room temperature. The fries were cut with potato peels on and seasoned with coarse sea salt or kosher salt. The texture was "dead", they were cold, clammy and over cooked. The mac n cheese had promise but it was room temperature and the serving was very small.
My companion ordered the brisket sandwich. The meat was room temperature, dry and tough. The side was mac n cheese that was the same as mine.
My companions mother ordered the tempura fish. The fish was way under seasoned (thats something coming from a person that uses very little salt).
All in all. We spent a healthy amount of money for cold under seasoned food that took way too long to serve. I dont think i will be back here.
Written 23 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Phil H
10 contributions
May 2019 • couples
We stopped in for a quick bite and drink after watching the beautiful sunset. The menu items looked fantastic and imaginative. It took a few minutes to get seated even though the place was mostly empty because both of the hostesses were on the phone, apparently on personal calls.
We ordered the pineapple hush puppies and smoked marlin. At least half of the hush puppies were completely raw in the middle. The cornbread dough was still liquid! I told the waitress and she brought out a fresh batch, smaller this time and well cooked. But still, they were bland and dull. I think I sensed pineapple once, but I may have imagined it.
The smoked marlin was an improvement, but just barely. It was also raw on the inside, which is ok for fresh seafood, but weird for smoked. Still, it kept it from being completely dry and tasteless, so that's a plus. The fresh vegetable side was a bit like eating a garnish, flavorless and stiff.
The service wasn't bad, except for the initial seating. The prices were ok, considering the location and view. The deck had a nice view to watch the sun set. It's probably a nice place to have drinks around sunset if you don't care much about the quality.
Written 16 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
411daniellew
2 contributions
Aug 2019 • family
Lucky this restaurant has a good view, because that is all it had going for it. Once seated we were constantly waiting for service to order drinks and food, even though they were not busy. Wrong meals were brought out, out of ingredients to make drinks and overall just poor service.
Such a shame as it is such a lovely spot.
Written 17 August 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stevej2001
Manteca344 contributions
May 2019 • couples
Three different meats (ribs, brisket, fish) all dry and over cooked. I’m giving 2 stars rather than one because the fries and Mai Tai were pretty good and it wasn’t expensive.
We’ll not be back.
Written 7 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pdog72
49 contributions
Apr 2019 • none
The service was OK, but not spectacular. The meat was dry. Overall I would say we wouldn’t go back. Kinda spends for what you get.
Written 12 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex G
1 contribution
Mar 2019 • couples
My partner and I came here after living in Kona for about a year. We heard good things about Daylight Mind but had not been there to dine yet. We went to try their new BBQ menu.
We were seated next to the ocean and it was a fun experience having the waves crashing through dinner. We came just after sunset and it was kind of windy so at times got cold, but the staff helped reseat people who were feeling cold. We got the hushpuppies for an appetizer, the ribs and tempura fish for the meal, and the chocolate cake for dessert. The food was delicious and had different flavors in them than we expected, but the flavors worked well and we liked it.
Our waitress was patient and attentive to the table, which was nice as we tend to take longer deciding what to order.
Overall was a nice date night and I'd do it again.
Written 5 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
steveandjody
Issaquah34 contributions
Mar 2019 • couples
We were here for dinners at night. We walked in and it wasn’t obvious (to us) where the restaurant was. No one greeted us or offered to help. It’s a large mostly empty space. We wandered upstairs and found another large empty space. We were just about to leave when we spotted folks eating towards the back of the space. We we finally greeted and shown to an ocean view table. And waited and waited. After about 10 minutes a server said she’d be right with us. We finally ordered and on another 5-7 minutes our wine arrived. All the other diners had water but we had to ask for it. Hubby had the smoked catch of the day (marlin, tough and dry) Asian slaw (ok) and grilled veggies (very good). But served on a metal tray lined with paper that fell apart and got mixed into the food. I had the Niçoise salad. It also came with marlin instead of tuna and I was informed of that. But I wasn’t told it would be raw. And since the server never returned to ask “is everything all right?” I couldn’t send the fish back to be grilled. With all the dining choices w/in walking distance of Kiawe you’d do well to make a different choice. I usually post only positive reviews but this one left a bad tase in my mouth...so to speak.
Written 1 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KonaJulia
Kenwood1 contribution
Feb 2019 • couples
My husband and I come here to watch the sunset and the food is a bonus! He likes the brisket and I like the portobello mushroom sandwich. The macaroni and cheese, we both fight over! Best BBQ in Kona!
Written 22 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kiawesmokehouse
Aloha Julia and mahalo for your kind review :) I'm obsessed with our Mac and Cheese too! Hope to see you and your husband in here again soon!
Written 25 February 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stevomars
Calgary745 contributions
Feb 2019 • friends
Friends told us we should meet and try out this smokehouse.
We were seated on the back deck around sunset which added to the ambience. The wait staff took our drink orders and then were back for the main dishes.
Everyone tried something different from chicken to fish to brisket. All were delighted with their dishes and we rolled out of there stuffed to the max.
The portions were good sized and the sides were more than ample.
It would be definitely be a do-over. Thanks to the staff for a good amount of attention.
Written 13 February 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
charley-marley
Kailua-Kona960 contributions
Dec 2018 • family
Excited to see a new spot in Kona, and a BBQ joint at that. Saw it advertised on FB.
They had a soft opening a week or 2 ago, & the timing couldn't be better. A few doors down, Bubba Gump will be closing in two days. Hopefully some of the crowd will now go to Kiawe.
Located @ Daylight Mind Cafe in Waterfront Row, Kiawe Smokehouse is open daily from 3-9pm. It's a perfect solution to Daylight Mind Cafe being a breakfast & lunch oriented spot. Why not diversify & offer something completely different, thus created a whole new revenue stream?
If youve been to Daylight Mind before, you know the seating. If not, it's a nice spot right near the ocean. Spacious, you can have in or outdoor seating. We came on a Friday, and there was nice live music.
As this was my 1st try & there were no reviews yet, I took it upon myself to represent Yelp Elites, and ordered as much as I could! Between me, the Mrs and my toddler, we put a nice dent in the menu.
We started with an order of fried green tomatoes. I can't think of anyone else in Kona that has it, and I have loved them ever since first trying them eons ago in Atlanta. They didn't disappoint. Although not the best, they were decent- enough to fulfill my craving. They were thicker than I'm used to, had the right tartness to them, & the dipping sauce was something close to Utah's infamous "fry sauce", but more heavy on the mayo and less on the ketchup.
Before the fried green tomatoes came out, we were given a plate of cornbread w/butter. I'm not sure if this is a thing because they are new, or if it's a standard everyone will get, but it was appreciated. The cornbread was flavorful, dense, & the whipped butter was perfect.
We ordered a "small kine bowl chowder" for baby, which was actually a decent size, esp. for $5.
It was corn chowder, & she loved it. I had a taste (for the sake of the review), and it was good. Not too creamy, not too corny.
My wife ordered a combo plate of 2 meats and 1 side.
The two meats chosen were Kiawe smoked pull pork and Kona coffee rubbed beef brisket. The side was house fries, at my daughters request.
The pulled pork was ok. It was tender, shredded thin but it ate thick, if you know what I mean. The beef brisket outshined the pork though. It was nice and tender, and had the perfect amount of fat. They were nice sized cuts and I enjoyed dipping them in each of the three different barbecue sauces to see which matched best.
Speaking of barbecue sauce, the three sauces are coffee redeye (the most mild), Carolina (the spicy), and guava curry (the somewhat spicy but also tangy). I think I preferred the coffee redeye then the Carolina, over the guava.
My combo plate was the big papa of them all- 4 meats and 3 sides! I wanted nothing the same that my wife had, so we could end up eating 6 of the 9 items on the menu.
I chose the house made pastrami, smoked half chicken, house smoked sausages, and baby back ribs.
For my sides, I went with Asian slaw, sauerkraut, and German potato salad. The plate also came with a small amount of pickled vegetables- which were fantastic.
My pastrami was very good, nice and soft and flaky. The menu says it comes with horseradish mustard. I don't care for it, so didn't bring it up when I noticed it was missing.
The smoked half chicken was nice and soft, juicy enough, and had a good smoke flavor.
There was a choice of three sausages for the sausage, a Portuguese sausage, and I forgot the other two. I opted for the third option, which was the spiciest. And it was.
I have to say the sausage was the least of my favorite meats. Normally sausage is a sure thing, but this was a little off. It was way oversmoked, so it was black inside and out, brittle, and super dry.
As were my baby back ribs. They were much drier than I like to eat ribs. I want them glazed with some sort of sauce, tender and falling off the bone when I bite into them. These were very dry, but the smoke flavor was good.
My sides were hit and miss. The Asian slaw was just ok. Not disappointing, but not exciting. The sauerkraut was disappointing, as it was really soft and mushy. It had the right amount of tartness/sourness to it, giving me the coughs/teary eyes a couple times- which is a good thing. However, I like mine to be crunchy, and this was the opposite. The German potato salad was a home run. This was really really good. I would order that again in a heartbeat. Perfect in everything.
Service was good, although I think there was just one waitress covering everyone. Food did come out a little bit slow, but it seems all of the tables arrived around the same time, so all the orders were in together.
Overall, there are some kinks to be ironed out, some growing pains to overcome, but I'm glad there is a new restaurant in town. Since I've gotten my "sampling" out of the way, I know what to order next time (beef brisket, German potato salad).
Written 26 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ryan J
Kailua-Kona130 contributions
Dec 2018 • business
Kiawe Smokehouse is located inside Daylight Mind Coffee Company in downtown Kona. It turns into Kiawe Smokehouse later afternoon 3:00pm-9:00pm and is amazing! One of Kona's newest treasures with excellent BBQ flavors and options!
Written 22 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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