Restaurants

A Casual Restaurant with Light Meals on The Big Island (Jennifer Miner)

A great aspect of the Waikoloa Beach resort area on the Big Island is the resort hotels’ proximity to two small but popular shopping areas. These are the Queen’s Marketplace and King’s Shops. The Queens Marketplace has several restaurants, two worthy of note: Charley’s Thai Cuisine and Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar. The King’s Shops is a more upscale block of stores, but closer to the resorts; in fact, it’s right across the street from the popular Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, making it the resort guests’ de facto shopping and dining area (in so desired). My favorite restaurant in the King’s Shops is Merriman’s Market Cafe.

Merriman’s Market Cafe is very casual and relaxed. This is great, as there are other restaurants with similar menus (and prices) that veer towards the stuffy side, and less expensive restaurants that are in the food court – these are somewhat pedestrian and lack flair. The casual, unpretentious atmosphere of Merriman’s is fitting for a Hawaiian lunch out. There are both indoor and outdoor dining, and I recommend sitting outside. The tables are protected by umbrellas: This is a fun way to enjoy lunch or dinner. During dinner, there may be live (but unobtrusive) music as well.

The cuisine is Mediterranean, albeit with a Hawaiian twist; the fresh seafood is locally caught South Pacific fare. The hummus appetizer was on the small side for sharing, but the entrees were great. The Italian food is not heavy here – even the small tasty pizzas and pastas at lunch won’t weigh you down. It’s reliably fresh fare, for a lunch that passes smoothly so that you can get on with your Hawaiian vacation on the Big Island.

Outdoor Dining is Recommended at Merriman's Market Cafe (Jennifer Miner)

Dinners at Merriman’s Cafe are also quite tasty, and not so large that you won’t be able to finish them. There is a deli counter inside; buying some prepared food here is a smart alternative to only dining at those overpriced resort restaurants. However, dining al fresco here really is a pleasure. I especially recommend the shrimp pizza, and seared ahi tuna as main courses. My children chose entrees from the kids’ menu, and enjoyed their meals. Now, there is another Merriman’s Cafe on the Big Island, in Waimea. I haven’t been to that one, but can safely assume that this one, in the Waikoloa Beach resort area, is far more tourist-heavy.

There are quite a few desserts to choose from, but my dining party (we went twice for lunch and once for dinner) liked the gelato the most. In short, Merriman’s Cafe and Market provides reliably good, fresh lunches and dinners, at a cost that is affordable relative to other nearby restaurants and resort dining spots. It’s recommended for a casual, light meal, but is not particularly memorable.

250 Waikoloa Beach Drive
Waikoloa, Hawaii (808) 886-1700

Sensei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar, Waikoloa Beach (Jennifer Miner)

Travelers spending their precious vacation time on the Big Island are wise to learn about recommended restaurants. Even small local chains are often more fun dining experiences than are the massive, pricey resort restaurants – and at the very least they’ll help budget-conscious travelers with their food budget. Hawaii has one such small, local chain that’s popular for good reason (as compared to, say, KFC or McDonald’s). Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar has a great Japanese and pan-Asian menu, with a fun, festive atmosphere that is downright contagious. If you don’t have a fun experience at Sansei’s, you’re really not letting yourself be part of the mood of the place.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is in the Queen’s Marketplace area of Waikoloa Beach. This popular resort area has several off-resort restaurants, including Charley’s Thai Cuisine, that are both less expenisive and more interesting than the standard hotel fare. There are also Sansei restaurants on Maui and Oahu, so this relatively new (winter 2008) Waikoloa Beach restaurant was able to start off up and running, without the usual trial-and-error effects of grand openings.

The sushi is fantastic. There are, of course, the usual California rolls and spicy tuna rolls, but there are

Delicious Seared Tuna at Sensei Restaurant, Big Island (Nathan Kam)

alsomany, many creative option using locally caught ahi, ono, and other fish native to the Pacific. Hawaii aquaculturalists and farmers on the Big Island both benefit from the “buy locally” philosophy, and eager, happy tourists benefit from the great entrees as well. The seafood is fresh and delicious, and early bird specials make meals here even more affordable. Diners who don’t like sushi or seafood, have no fear (although why are you vacationing in Hawaii, then?) – the beef teriyaki, macadamia nut crusted pork, and tempura vegetables are all quite good.

Now, Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar is no secret little hole-in-the-wall. It’s recommended by most Big Island Waikoloa Beach Resort concierges, and locals love it too: Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly during peak travel seasons. We had an hour wait when, foolhardy as we are, we tried to stroll right in. Learn from our mistakes: Make reservations, and try to get there for happy hour, when most sushi is as much as 50% off. Amazing deal, amazing sushi. That, plus the fun atmosphere, really add up to an amazing night out in Hawaii.

A Best Restaurant in the Big Island's Queen's Marketplace, Hawaii

Waikoloa Beach is one of the resort hotel areas on Hawaii’s Big Island, and as with many resort destinations, there are a couple of small shopping areas in walking distance from the hotels. The Queen’s Marketplace is one such shopping area in the Waikoloa Beach district. Along with the usual touristy shops and a Starbucks, there is a really fantastic Thai restaurant here. Charley’s Thai Cuisine serves everything from mild Thai classics like Pad Thai and satay, to very spicy chili and curry dishes. Warning: Like most seriously authentic Thai restaurants, when Charley’s says “spicy,” they mean it!

Although I haven’t been to every Asian restaurant on the Big Island, Charley’s Thai Cuisine proved to be so superior to any that I have eaten in, that I can safely say it’s one of the best Asian restaurants on this Hawaiian island. Located at the far end of the Queen’s Marketplace area, it feels removed enough from the foot traffic to lend to the restaurant a sense of distinction from the outdoor-mall atmosphere. The decor is Thai, of course, and everything is new and clean. There are also plenty of wine and beer options here: With choices ranging from microbreweries on Hawaii to Thai beer, and an international selection of wines, there is bound to be a drink to meet any guest’s desire. And if there isn’t, the Thai iced tea is a real crowd-pleaser.

Charley's Thai Cuisine in the Queen's Marketplace, Hawaii (Bill Adams)

We were a party of six; our meals varied from non-spicy fried shrimp, to a generous portion of mildly spicy mahi mahi and veggies, to a medium-hot yellow curry stew with plenty of coconut flavor, to a very spicy (ordered that way) seafood and sticky rice dish. The very spicy entrees here really take some acclimation for those of us raised on the Western version of Thai food! I appreciated the variety of options and the authenticity of the curry and chilis here. I wonder if the genuine quality is due in part to the fact that Hawaii is closer to Thailand than are the mainland U.S. states. Whatever the reason, Charley’s Thai Cuisine in the Queen’s Marketplace is one of the best Asian restaurants on the Big Island of Hawaii, and one of the most authentic Thai restaurants around.