First the bad: We had a server who was new and when I asked if the fries were in a shared fryer, she got flustered and confused and she said, “Usually people who are gluten free know what they can and cannot eat.”
It was pretty bad and I almost requested someone new, but later the manager came out to help us and talk us through the menu.
Now the good: Good tacos. Shrimp and grits was excellent. They were out of GF buns so didn’t get to try the burger.
I’ve eaten here twice and had no issues. There is a separate GF menu so ask for it at the front. I had the shrimp skewers and Hawaiian ono with no symptoms afterwards.
My partner and I live on Oahu but we come to the Big Island specifically for coffee and a couple amazing restaurants. This is one of those amazing restaurants that we love so much. We came for the weekend and have gone every day. The food is amazing, we are vegetarian not vegan and typically I don’t like non dairy alternatives but I truly can’t tell that this food is vegan. The Mac and cheese was amazing and the ice cream is so creamy and delicious. The wraps, pancakes, and tacos are also our favorites. My partner is also gluten free and they make incredible gluten free options for every menu item. The service is also amazing, staff are very friendly and keep the place very clean. My partner forgot to order her pancakes gluten free and the lovely lady at the register offered to fix it for no extra cost. I highly recommend you make some time to visit Journey, it is so worth it!
They were super fast and everything was great. They do have gluten free breading and a dedicated fryer for the side winder fries, though it’s not advertised anywhere on their menu or website. Multiple GF options.
If this poke restaurant were on the mainland, it might earn a solid five stars. However, while it was enjoyable, it didn’t quite blow me away. The macaroni salad was a standout—thick, creamy, and bursting with flavor. I also tried the pork belly appetizer, which was crispy and delicious, though a dipping sauce would have elevated it to perfection.
Our server was delightful and attentive, but we ran into an issue that dampened the experience. One person in our party has celiac disease, and she was offered a special gluten-free menu. She clearly explained to the staff that this wasn’t a preference but a severe allergy requiring strict care. They assured her the food would be handled properly, yet her salad arrived with a noodle in it. The manager stepped in and offered to remake it personally, but by then, she’d lost confidence in their cross-contamination protocols.
I'm super bummed to write this. We chose to eat here after the great reviews about taking allergies/gluten free sufferers into consideration. I've asked to speak with a manager three separate occasions. No manager when we were in the restaurant. I've called twice, left a request for a return call, never a response.
I write this for my fellow celiacs/gluten sensitive folks * <3. Quick story: we ordered two gluten free/dairy free pizzas, paid for them, waited. One came out gluten free and one was full gluten. I noticed the difference by sight, asked them, they said oh my bad, went back to bake a new one. After waiting 30 more min the guy appeared with two pizzas, and said they cooked us two fresh gluten free/dairy free pizzas! I was about to walk out, checked again, and the same gluten pizza was stacked with the new gluten free one. Unfortunately I had to be this vigilant, and they said oh sorry, our bad. I'm sad to say, gluten-free folks, don't eat here or at your own risk. I think the worst part is how flippant everyone was, no offer of a pizza on them, no assurance this would not happen again after it happening twice in a row.
Update after response: It's even more disturbing that I left my information with the manager and have called twice requesting a callback—with no response. Hence, my review. Instead of addressing my experience, taking accountability, and making it right, this response not only denies that I reached out but goes further to mock my concern. The lack of transparency, honesty, and accountability only reinforces my review.
For planet friendly food this is my happy place in Kailua-Kona. It's a food truck like shack in the middle of a parking lot, with shaded seating areas with reed screens and a drive-through option. Free 1 hour parking for an hour. I appreciate how tasty the jackfruit nachos and gluten free pizzas are.
I'm a vegetarian and finding some real good veg food here is difficult for me.
Kai is just wonderful in this aspect. You get a lot of vegetarian options along with other stuff + gluten free vegan meals are an option too.
Their special Mango Tango Pizza is a must try along with the special Lemon Kai Fry
wonderful little restaurant with amazing ocean views. wonderful gluten free (sensitive) pancakes. Large portions and very friendly staff. Will definitely be going back there for breakfast.
Amazingly fresh and wide variety of poke, would recommend going earlier in the day before other options run out, but still great quality towards the end of the day. They are knowledgeable about which varieties are gluten free
Quite a nice surprise. The owner of L&L Hawaiian Barbecue recommended we head over here when I asked her about gluten free offerings. The food here is really satisfying. Only a few items on the menu are not gluten free. Everyone working here knew exactly what I could order and what to avoid. Down to the possible barley malt in the granola for the smoothie bowls. My spouse said the ground beef on the nachos tasted good but that the pork in my bento box tasted even more delicious. If you prefer sauce or dressing on the side let them know upfront. Good music and positive vibes.
The food was pretty good and there are decent gluten free options. The service was very good and only spoilt by being offer the desert menu whilst still eating our entries. It is over priced ($20 for a crème Brûlée is bonkers).
This was a birthday meal and I did message asking if there was anything extra I could pay for to make it more special. I never received any response. Probably wouldn’t be back again.
Great service and plenty of vegan and gluten free options. Their portions are a good size for one person but you may not leave with leftovers. We tried three dishes with tofu and they all had more tofu in than most Thai places give you which was great. We liked the Pad Thai best. It was great they could make the Red Curry vegan as most Thai places can only make the yellow vegan.
Great atmosphere, nice outdoor seating with views of the ocean in Kona. Delicious poke and pork plates. Service was very fast, the food and views were great. Highly recommend!
This was also a great spot for gluten free poke. I had the spicy ahi and avocado poke with a side of rice and it was fantastic.
We have these in Alaska. We expected the same service and food. The food was tasty but if you need condiments, it may not happen. The service deserves a zero! You seat yourself. We waited to be served longer than needed. The young lady that finally waited on us was not friendly. She took our order and literally disappeared. The young man that brought our food was nice and helped as much as he could.
There were at least four tables waiting to pay as our waitress was MIA. The young man reappeared to help us out.
My advice to the restaurant, seat everyone on the same level. If you’re short on good help, at least your guests will get acknowledged.
As a guest, I’d advise to sit near the bar. You’ll get waited on there.
The views are great. The ambience of this place is great. The food was tasty. We had the eggs Benedict and the omelette. I was thankful for gluten free options. It’s really the service that was bad.
Great ocean view seating. Best Kahlua pork!! The server was excellent!! Gluten free buns and a gf menu available. That’s rare. Happy hour drinks are awesome from 3-5. We highly recommend Mai tais. We will return!
This was hands down the most memorable experience of our visit to the island. The wait staff was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and accommodating to our allergen requirements (celiac).
We called ahead to book a reservation and they were able to put together a gluten free sushi offering for us with a dedicated prep station, cutlery, and rice to avoid any cross contamination. The fresh wasabi was also a delight.
Great location, short & expensive menu with the only salads being a small garden salad or a small Caesar salad. No gluten-free options. Great view for sunset.
75-159 Lunapule Rd, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, United States
Gluten-free options
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Bhagy B
Nice cafe with a great selection of teas and coffee. The ham and cheese croissant was great. Strongly recommend the chia, oats and coconut milk topped with fruit as well (it’s also gluten-free!) Love the decorations on the inside too 😊
All the food was phenomenal and they even have gluten free pad thai! The menu is huge with something for everyone, and the service was really fast, definitely reccomend.
This was my favorite meal all week. I tried malai kofta for the first time and it was outrageously delicious. I also got a Masala chai (not too sweet which I prefer) and cheese nann and both were amazing. Loved the view too, we watched dolphins swim by from our table. Great spot!
There is something for anyone who enjoys spices. Lots of vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options on the menu but also plenty of meat too. Would highly recommend.
My wife and I just finished an evening at The Big Island grill and it was fantastic! They had a great Dairy and Gluten free option for my wife and the sword fish was some of the best fish i have ever tasted! We aee definitely hoping to return later this week for dessert!
The quality and freshness of the tuna and salmon were the best we'd had on Hawaii. The rice was also the best we'd had. When we asked for gluten free options, the staff knew exactly which of the ingredients were and weren't safe. They even asked about cross contamination concerns.
When they were building my poke bowl, they took their time and asked me if I wanted more of an ingredient if the one they normally use has gluten in it. They even gave me more salmon than my wife's poke bowl and she said they treated me special because the clerk thought I was handsome! LOL!
Not only do I meet a friend here every Thursday for bible study, and we enjoy a really good cup of Kona Coffee and once in a while a little pastry, which taste delicious and they have vegan options.
But a few days ago, as my birthday was coming up, I was looking for a birthday cake. I gave the Pink ladies a call, not knowing if they would bake me a cake.
With their usual kindness and friendliness they made it happen. Yes!! Within minutes, the order was complete and within 2 days my beautiful cake was ready.
A vanilla, strawberry and blueberry 4” vegan and gluten free piece of art-delight. Thank you to the Pink Mocha pastry-chef “K” and the awesome pink ladies.
As you can see, looks amazing and tasted delicious 😋🍰
We are from California where we have amazing fresh farm to fork food! These guys rival any of it! From the Texas caviar, pulled pork, slaw, fettuccine alfredo, nachos, loco moco (gluten free!) And even the cookies! We have hunted them down twice and will find them again before we leave the island! Better than the 4 star we went to! Keep up the good work and great food!
Go here. Caveat I have very inconvenient allergies (gluten, cane sugar, cocoa). My husband wanted to have gelato - fine, I say, I’ll go with so you can pick something up. As the women working say “we’ll add an extra spoon for you” I let them know of my allergy woes. And can you even believe it - they have a gelato that - yes true - does not have sugar (monk fruit and erythritol instead). Insanely good. Flavor varies they tell me so if you have life constraints like I do - go and check as you’ll likely be delighted.
Wow! Incredible food the carna asada quesadilla's and the pork burrito's were next level! They also have a number of gluten free options and they are all delicious!
This review is not based on the food that this restaurant usually serves. We have several dietary restrictions these days and asked them to make it without soy, gluten , etc. The food we got with our restrictions were good enough for us to eat. The 5 stars are for the service we got. The girl who took our order patiently listened to us and told us that they will make the food the way we want it. She explained what dishes we can eat and what we should avoid.
75-5669 Ali‘i Dr #1106, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA
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Naomi Lakman
Aside from being some of the best sushi I’ve ever had, the owners made it one of the best experiences I’ve had at a restaurant. They were very accommodating with my being celiac and made some things special for me and substituted other ingredients. I wish I could rate this more than 5 stars :)
Great place to eat. Lots of gluten-free items. Had the pineapple fried rice, and so good we came back and I got drunken noodles. Arrive early before sunset. It fills up closer to sunset and it since in a great spot to watch the sun go down! They try to position the seats for a great view.
They have Gluten Free options and were able to seat is pretty quickly when we were super hungry. Service is a little scattered, but once we ordered, we got food pretty quickly. Overall, good but not amazing food and reasonable enough prices. Nice location, with outdoor seating overlooking the surf. Would come back.
I love this place :)
I am celiac and they make wonderful gluten free crepes. I personally love the Carmel apple ( rich ) when I have a sweet tooth. But the turkey spinach mushroom & grilled veggie for savory are really great option as well.
Also, very important note; they have the best London Fog on island. Their herbal blend already has Lavender in it 💜
Highly recommended.
Celiac friendly
