We went here for my birthday dinner, although we did not tell them it was my birthday. Regardless, that fact should not have had an impact on the service (or lack of) that we received. The waitress did not bring us any bread the entire time we were there. It took her 20 minutes to get us 2 glasses of water. The food was ok as usual, but the slowness of the waitress really gave a bad impression. At the end, we handed her our credit card and waited nearly 25 minutes for her to finish "chatting" with the table next to us, and then discovered she hadn't even swiped the card yet! We were staring at her while she was chatting and she just ignored us completely. Horrible, horrible service.
(1)
RZ H.
Surprisingly, the happy hour in the bar here is nice and for locals it is a great change of pace if you are craving a bit of the mainland. The food is consistently good and prices seem to be the same as what you would pay on the mainland too.
(4)
M S.
It was late. We couldn't get in where we wanted to go. Outback was a 'known' quantity and didn't disappoint: good (prime rib) to very good (lobster) entrees, served with speed and gusto. Not cheap, but not outrageous either. In the same circumstances, we'd happily go again.
(3)
Jaimie W.
Our recent dinner at Outback was disappointing for many reasons. The Calamari appetizer was small with poorly-breaded so-so tasting squid, The Caesar salad with shrimp was too salty, and the dressing was less tasty than most any supermarket brand Caesar dressing. Finally, the ribs were dry with very mediocre flavor. The only positive aspect of our visit was our waitress who was nice and competent.
(1)
Barry Z.
First of all I don't usually like chains especially when I am on da Big Island because there is such great restaurants that source locally. Took the wife here for a nice meal. We sat outside and had the prime rib and a nice bottle of wine. Kinda funny as I had a cocktail with the appetizer and then ordered wine to go with dinner. They would not open the wine until I had finished the cocktail due to liquor laws in Hawaii. We sat outside and everything was spot on!
(4)
Eric H.
Be warned, they do not honor mainland pricing or the specials presented on TV/radio
(1)
Shawnee G.
I was craving steak and figured this would be the best place to go. First we were seated outside and it was a very windy night, this was after a 30+ minute wait at 7ish. $20 for their special cut which was tough and chewy and add $10 for FOUR over cooked, rubber scallops. Because we were seated outside, we barely saw our server. After we received our food, we waited awhile to request for some steak sauce and our food just sat there and got cold. Husband paid by card and the server brought back the receipt without the card. Absent minded, we left without realizing it and had to go out of our way the next day to get it. What a total rip off, we will never return here. I'd rather spend this kind of money at a local place where the food will most likely be better, not to mention the service.
(2)
Jamie P.
My wife and I ate here because we had been given a gift card for our honeymoon. The food was prepared perfect and the service was excellent. My wife and I expect good service, and this is what we got. We knew from experiences at home that Outback's food is very tasty and consistent, it did not disappoint. The ahi tuna was delicious, per usual, as was the prime rib. She ordered the filet and lobster and they were both great. They even threw in a free dessert as a honeymoon gift. There were absolutely no complaints.
(5)
Ramona P.
Ok, so Its a chain, that I understand but we really needed hot food coming out into a clean dining room. We really didn;t get enough hot food that week! That was our only criteria that evening. Plus we wanted happy hour and 1/2 price appetizers. Outback was the answer! We get there around 5pm, and almost ALL the booths in the bar area were taken, all except one, the one we got! We start getting our drink on, we start getting our eat on, then our 2 friends join us, and were ALL GETTING OUR GROOVE ON! Yeah Outback! I wou ld have never considered you at home, but ya sure did a good job pleasing us on vacation. I liked the Ahi tuna, coconut shrimp, and the frozen drinkie I had. I also enjoyed the BIG comfy booth too! All this for seventy five dollars! Thanks again Outback! Love ya!
(4)
Jessica H.
Food was good, portions were somewhat small. The restaurant was really clean, and the waiters were nice.
(4)
Johnny E.
We always eat here from time to time when running errands in Kona. Food is always great and consistent and probably the only place here that reminds us on being back in the Mainland (which we miss dearly). Funny how it being "Outback Steakhouse". Service is good and the area that it is at is very scenic as it is close to the ocean. For dessert they have a new chocolate brownie waffle which is probably the best dessert they have made. We would even go back there just for that dessert.
(4)
Jillian P.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Outback Steakhouse! I would've given the Kailua-Kona location 5 stars, BUT I have received bad service at this place before. At times the service can be slowww. I have also received rude servers - which is always a bad thing. HOWEVER, for the most part, I've received good-great service. When it comes to the food - I have NO complaints. Everything I've ever eaten at Outback floats my boat. I love their finni dinni sauce, it's soooo good. :) I think that their ribs are amazing! I also love the Alice Springs Chicken as well as the Chicken on the Barbie. They have a no rules pasta which is SOOOO good as well. My friend LOVES the alice springs chicken quesadillas; it's an appetizer BUT could totally work as your dinner. Speaking of appetizers, their aussie chesse fries are TO DIE FOR. :)
(4)
Randy B.
After disappointing meals at other restaurants, we wanted a place we could count on and Outback measured up. The service was great and the food delivered in a timely manner. The only complaint was that the teriyaki sauce on the teriyaki sirloin tasted a bit different than at home. It was still good, just a little different.
(4)
Colleen F.
You can't beat filet mignon and lobster tail for $33. Pick any steak and you can add shrimp or lobster to the meal for a reasonable price. Service was fast and friendly and the food was great
(5)
Tara H.
The food and service were good. You can't go wrong at Outback.
(4)
Linda K.
I just ordered a carry out order as I'm eating alone out here on business. The server working the take away section was nice and courteous. When I got back to my hotel the food was hot and nicely packed with the sides separated. Food was exactly as I ordered it and tastier than I remember from the last time I ate at outback at a different location. A lot of time when you order take out they get your order wrong or forget the utensils etc.. But it seems like they take a lot of care in their take out business.
(4)
R G.
Dining at Outback in Hawaii?? Really? YES!!! Especially if you need to eat gluten free like I do. We ate outside, which I highly recommend. Everything tastes better outside. We ordered the grilled shrimp as an appetizer. Super yummy. I ordered ribs, baked potato, and sauteed mushrooms. Can I just say these mushrooms were amazing? Sauteed in a beef broth and red wine. Awesome!! My husband ordered a steak with a lobster mushroom sauce. The sauce was an extra $5.00 and was a huge disappointment to my husband. He wished he would have ordered the sauteed mushrooms as well. I did share a few with him, but kept the majority for myself. There are some things a wife just cannot share!! Service was super friendly and expedient. Overall, worth a trip there!
(4)
Ticia G.
I hate to give a chain 4 stars but this restaurant is located in the middle of Kona and has a lovely deck we dined on. The server was Uber friendly and helpful, the food was prepared perfectly and was delicious. The prices were much higher than home but I suspect that is par for the course.
(4)
Yves R.
I came back despite swearing to myself I would never do so, but I was hungry and didn't have much choice. Well, this dinner experience was better than last year, but the food is still so so. I ordered the prime rib with sides of baked potato and Cesar salad. The best was the salad, second the baked potato, and last the prime rib! (Yeah, not the other way around). The beef was medium rare as I requested it, relatively flavorful, but disturbingly chewy. I really think that the size of this company has gotten the best of them and that they are now just another average diner restaurant. At least we know what we're getting, right?
(2)
C. K.
I am not really sure if this place belongs in Kona, but it's there along with many other bars and grills. With their usual steakhouse sized steaks and steakhouse prices, I don't know how this place expected to compete with the portion sizes of local restaurant and fill the bellies of big hawaiians locals. Just like any chain restaurants, the taste is pretty good, and the inside is very well decorated. The server and busser, however, did not seem so delighted to see us, and had that straight faces on. I was comparing out server with the one next table had, who was smiling and laughing the whole time when talking to customers. I don't think I can say much, it's outback. You know what to expect.
(3)
Lina P.
Yeah, I'd rather support local, but its a scary world out there! So many horrible places on Alii Drive that for once in my life I'd rather trust a corporate restaurant. I come here more often then I'd like to admit, why? Because they are consistent! Service is always friendly although not alway fast, but I'll take friendliness any day! Come for Happy Hour, get a tall glass of beer, the Ahi Sashimi, and one other item off the Happy Hour menu! Its worth it! They open later in the day, I think its 4:30.
(4)
Erynn T.
Came here for the 1st time for dinner today. Semi-busy but not noisy. we were seated quickly and our waitress Alana was really good, super friendly and attentive. Our food came really fast too! We got the flatbread w/ chicken, artichoke, spinach appetizer. It was good, but it really wasn't "flatbread" it was a crispy fried tortilla. I had a strawberry lemonade too, which was good. A bit syrupy/sweet but still refreshing and thirst-quenching. The bf had prime rib & they were willing to add more ounces so he got 32 oz (they charge $1 per additional ounce). This was nice because when we went to Outback on Oahu, they wouldn't do larger cuts than the 16 oz (and yes, he ate it all :P). For my entree I got the woodfire grilled chicken salad. I wouldn't say it was the nicest presentation -- everything looked just thrown together and not really mixed. Big portion though. There was supposed to be green apple and walnuts with mixed greens, but majority of the salad was won bok cabbage with a little romaine. I only had about 5 pieces of apple and they were buried under the salad rather than mixed in. But the vinaigrette dressing was tasty. The chicken was alright. Just wish there was more green apples & variety of lettuce though. Overall the flavor was good but it's not something I'd order again. Overall I enjoyed eating here, the service was good and I would come back again but order something else.
(4)
Cam M.
Came to have lobster with the family. We love the steamed lobster here. Unfortunately the food took forever to come and when it did the lobsters were cold and tough, not like how they usually are. How ever Zachary our server and the manager where very helpful and fixed our order and comped a couple of our apps. Once fixed the food tasted great. Their app combo is good and so are their veggies, like the asparagus. Also recommend their French onion soup. The service has been horrible here before but Zachary was great.
(4)
Wayne I.
Solid corporate company with the same food as the mainland although at slightly higher prices here in Hawaii. Service was good which is hard to come by in hawaii...bartenders were excellent. Offering recommendations and quick at refills. The $4 bar menu is what to look at if your here.
(4)
John L.
Went and had dinner at the kona location. Got seated quickly our server Stephen was great, attentive. Found the food to be just mediocre. The problem was when we sat down outside I was instantly stuck to the arms of the chair so just for grins I took my napkin and wiped the chair arm in one spot and it was horribly dirty. I think a place that offers food that is eaten by hand, ribs burgers and such should not have such disgusting places to sit. I don't see myself going back any time soon.
(2)
Ruben G.
Server Desmond was very nice, attentive, a bit of a smart- ass at the end about a price difference of the dish they brought to me in error, I was gracious enough to take the wrong item, . So I will leave him the difference on the table for the remark. Mahalo
(3)
Elaine C.
Went to outback for the first time in 4 years. Gosh they have changed. Our server was Allison, she was wonderful great personality . That was the best part of dinner. I ordered mahi with a lobster/mushroom sauce. The fish tasted old and dry. I took two bites and didn't eat any more. My hubby had the rack of lamb. Another disappointment. The lamb almost tastes like old mutton. He asked for asparagus and he received 5 pieces of skinny spears that were tough and woodsy. Couldn't eat that either. But our server immediately took off quite a bit of the total.
(3)
Chelsea L.
Came in on an extremely busy Friday night 10 minutes before closing and had terrific service from a kind mustached gentleman Josh D. Ordered multiple rounds of beers alongside apps, entrees, and dessert. The food was steaming hot/fresh and the service was expedient. Would recommend this restaurant to Kona residents and visitors alike. Thanks!
(5)
Russell S.
The first thing the waiter told us... Was that there were plenty of medium and well-cooked steak left in the kitchen. .... ... WTF ... .... What does this even mean? Aren't steaks cooked to order? This immediately let me know there was no way I would be ordering a steak... At a steakhouse. I ended up ordering the chicken strips, which were dry and frozen flavored. The food here was insulting, especially for the price. Absolute trash. My friends wanted to go here for the blooming onion...which was sadly the tastiest item our party of 7 had.
(1)
PiLo G.
Yesterday evening was really great, we sat outside on the patio we were able to see the sunset and the water. Warm atmosphere and our waiter Trevor helped us feel at home. All the food was really good. The steak and lobster tails absolutely loved, the Cajun shrimp skewers were my favorite- cooked just right; super delicious sauce and perfect portion size. I was also pleasantly surprised with a new item "Steak Mac n cheese" it was awesome !!! Everyone seemed to work together nicely; our food came out super fast and drinks came quick. Trevor really gave outstanding service; I didn't even realize the restaurant was at full capacity till we got up to leave. Of all the Outback locations I've been to this is by far my favorite!
(4)
Valerie M.
We live here in Kona and Outback used to be one of our favorite places to go to meet friends for drinks and appetizers, especially at happy hour. Now, no more happy hour drinks and no half-price appetizers :( Their steaks were always sub par. Huggos on the Rocks here we come :)
(1)
Windi G.
I say that our outback here in kona is one of our best restaurants in town!!! There always consistent and the service is always GREAT!! The atmosphere is very kid friendly and very welcoming!!!
(5)
Fern K.
Host service was excellent, whereas, table service was mediocre at best & the food was as served in every other Outback Restaurant in the world! Sorry but it was nothing really special on a special day like Father's Day!
(3)
Dustyn I.
Went there earlier tonight. Food was good...had the ribeye with Caesar salad and broccoli. The special desert was really good! Think it was a salted caramel cookie. Not sure why but something was off...can't really put my finger on it but just don't think it was 5 star worthy...but definitely still good and well worth a 4 star rating.
(4)
Jose T.
Food is decent if you send it back to get it recooked , service is awful from both the waitstaff and at the bar . They accept Amex which is a plus .
(1)
Amber H.
I love the fact that I can still get a swiss cheese mushroom burger even though it is not on the menu... the drinks are good too.
(5)
Tom A.
It is Outback Food was good as usual. Our waitress was great. It is priced a little higher than most Outbacks but you are in Hawaii.
(4)
Richard F.
Food was delicious! Steaks were juicy and cooked to order. Food came at a timely manner and our waiter, although not very energized was curtious, accommodating, kept drinks full and checked on us periodically. He was a very good server. I don't expect a ton of energy at the end of the night with a packed house on mother's day. Only reason it's not 5 stars is I had reservations but was seated 15 min after (not to bad considering the traffic) but also the seating was very cramped by the wall. Other than that food was great and the server was really good. Happy mother's day!
(4)
Brandi T.
Great service and it was fast! Can't believe how good they were for it being a chain restaurant. Food was really good and the people are very helpful on how to order your steak. This place so far has been better then the fancy restaurants in the area!
(4)
Marleen M.
The food and service is usually up to par at this Outback. However, last night they dropped a few stars. First, our waiter forgot to put in our appetizer order and we didn't realize it until we were served our entrees. We opted to skip it and just dig in to our meals. My son had the Outback special steak with a side of crab legs. The side of crab was $14.99, and such a disappointment. The crab meat was dry and cold. Our waiter did bring us ONE bowl of ice cream to share since he forgot our appetizer....and was apologetic....I didn't have the heart to tell him the crab legs sucked. Side note: I've had the crab legs here before and they were good...not great...but ok. Guess they were having an off night.
(3)
Megan F.
Though I try to frequent local eateries when traveling, sometimes you just need a hunk of red meat and a salad from a place you can count on. Outback in Kona delivered & at a price that was almost identical to what I pay at home. I even had my only good glass of iced tea in Kona at this restaurant. Try to get a table on the patio; there's a nice ocean view and a wonderful island breeze.
(4)
Mary J.
Even though the company offers a gluten free menu, a certain waiter is not gluten free friendly. Celiac is a disease and yes, Virginia, people really are allergic to gluten. Who made you a doctor instead of a waiter? Celiacs and those that eat gluten free, go elsewhere.
(1)
Summer S.
The burgers were very small and not very tasty, the kitchen was very backed up so it took about 30 minutes to get our food, which was not very good. Even the Bloomin onion seemed overly greasy and a bit overcooked. There are much better places to go for the same price or less on Ali'i drive
(1)
Jaimie W.
Our recent dinner at Outback was disappointing for many reasons. The Calamari appetizer was small with poorly-breaded so-so tasting squid, The Caesar salad with shrimp was too salty, and the dressing was less tasty than most any supermarket brand Caesar dressing. Finally, the ribs were dry with very mediocre flavor. The only positive aspect of our visit was our waitress who was nice and competent.
(1)
Barry Z.
First of all I don't usually like chains especially when I am on da Big Island because there is such great restaurants that source locally. Took the wife here for a nice meal. We sat outside and had the prime rib and a nice bottle of wine. Kinda funny as I had a cocktail with the appetizer and then ordered wine to go with dinner. They would not open the wine until I had finished the cocktail due to liquor laws in Hawaii. We sat outside and everything was spot on!
(4)
Eric H.
Be warned, they do not honor mainland pricing or the specials presented on TV/radio
(1)
Shawnee G.
I was craving steak and figured this would be the best place to go. First we were seated outside and it was a very windy night, this was after a 30+ minute wait at 7ish. $20 for their special cut which was tough and chewy and add $10 for FOUR over cooked, rubber scallops. Because we were seated outside, we barely saw our server. After we received our food, we waited awhile to request for some steak sauce and our food just sat there and got cold. Husband paid by card and the server brought back the receipt without the card. Absent minded, we left without realizing it and had to go out of our way the next day to get it. What a total rip off, we will never return here. I'd rather spend this kind of money at a local place where the food will most likely be better, not to mention the service.
(2)
Jamie P.
My wife and I ate here because we had been given a gift card for our honeymoon. The food was prepared perfect and the service was excellent. My wife and I expect good service, and this is what we got. We knew from experiences at home that Outback's food is very tasty and consistent, it did not disappoint. The ahi tuna was delicious, per usual, as was the prime rib. She ordered the filet and lobster and they were both great. They even threw in a free dessert as a honeymoon gift. There were absolutely no complaints.
(5)
Ramona P.
Ok, so Its a chain, that I understand but we really needed hot food coming out into a clean dining room. We really didn;t get enough hot food that week! That was our only criteria that evening. Plus we wanted happy hour and 1/2 price appetizers. Outback was the answer! We get there around 5pm, and almost ALL the booths in the bar area were taken, all except one, the one we got! We start getting our drink on, we start getting our eat on, then our 2 friends join us, and were ALL GETTING OUR GROOVE ON! Yeah Outback! I wou ld have never considered you at home, but ya sure did a good job pleasing us on vacation. I liked the Ahi tuna, coconut shrimp, and the frozen drinkie I had. I also enjoyed the BIG comfy booth too! All this for seventy five dollars! Thanks again Outback! Love ya!
(4)
Jessica H.
Food was good, portions were somewhat small. The restaurant was really clean, and the waiters were nice.
(4)
Johnny E.
We always eat here from time to time when running errands in Kona. Food is always great and consistent and probably the only place here that reminds us on being back in the Mainland (which we miss dearly). Funny how it being "Outback Steakhouse". Service is good and the area that it is at is very scenic as it is close to the ocean. For dessert they have a new chocolate brownie waffle which is probably the best dessert they have made. We would even go back there just for that dessert.
(4)
Jillian P.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Outback Steakhouse! I would've given the Kailua-Kona location 5 stars, BUT I have received bad service at this place before. At times the service can be slowww. I have also received rude servers - which is always a bad thing. HOWEVER, for the most part, I've received good-great service. When it comes to the food - I have NO complaints. Everything I've ever eaten at Outback floats my boat. I love their finni dinni sauce, it's soooo good. :) I think that their ribs are amazing! I also love the Alice Springs Chicken as well as the Chicken on the Barbie. They have a no rules pasta which is SOOOO good as well. My friend LOVES the alice springs chicken quesadillas; it's an appetizer BUT could totally work as your dinner. Speaking of appetizers, their aussie chesse fries are TO DIE FOR. :)
(4)
Randy B.
After disappointing meals at other restaurants, we wanted a place we could count on and Outback measured up. The service was great and the food delivered in a timely manner. The only complaint was that the teriyaki sauce on the teriyaki sirloin tasted a bit different than at home. It was still good, just a little different.
(4)
Colleen F.
You can't beat filet mignon and lobster tail for $33. Pick any steak and you can add shrimp or lobster to the meal for a reasonable price. Service was fast and friendly and the food was great
(5)
Tara H.
The food and service were good. You can't go wrong at Outback.
(4)
Linda K.
I just ordered a carry out order as I'm eating alone out here on business. The server working the take away section was nice and courteous. When I got back to my hotel the food was hot and nicely packed with the sides separated. Food was exactly as I ordered it and tastier than I remember from the last time I ate at outback at a different location. A lot of time when you order take out they get your order wrong or forget the utensils etc.. But it seems like they take a lot of care in their take out business.
(4)
R G.
Dining at Outback in Hawaii?? Really? YES!!! Especially if you need to eat gluten free like I do. We ate outside, which I highly recommend. Everything tastes better outside. We ordered the grilled shrimp as an appetizer. Super yummy. I ordered ribs, baked potato, and sauteed mushrooms. Can I just say these mushrooms were amazing? Sauteed in a beef broth and red wine. Awesome!! My husband ordered a steak with a lobster mushroom sauce. The sauce was an extra $5.00 and was a huge disappointment to my husband. He wished he would have ordered the sauteed mushrooms as well. I did share a few with him, but kept the majority for myself. There are some things a wife just cannot share!! Service was super friendly and expedient. Overall, worth a trip there!
(4)
Ticia G.
I hate to give a chain 4 stars but this restaurant is located in the middle of Kona and has a lovely deck we dined on. The server was Uber friendly and helpful, the food was prepared perfectly and was delicious. The prices were much higher than home but I suspect that is par for the course.
(4)
J B.
We went here for my birthday dinner, although we did not tell them it was my birthday. Regardless, that fact should not have had an impact on the service (or lack of) that we received. The waitress did not bring us any bread the entire time we were there. It took her 20 minutes to get us 2 glasses of water. The food was ok as usual, but the slowness of the waitress really gave a bad impression. At the end, we handed her our credit card and waited nearly 25 minutes for her to finish "chatting" with the table next to us, and then discovered she hadn't even swiped the card yet! We were staring at her while she was chatting and she just ignored us completely. Horrible, horrible service.
(1)
RZ H.
Surprisingly, the happy hour in the bar here is nice and for locals it is a great change of pace if you are craving a bit of the mainland. The food is consistently good and prices seem to be the same as what you would pay on the mainland too.
(4)
M S.
It was late. We couldn't get in where we wanted to go. Outback was a 'known' quantity and didn't disappoint: good (prime rib) to very good (lobster) entrees, served with speed and gusto. Not cheap, but not outrageous either. In the same circumstances, we'd happily go again.
(3)
Barry Z.
First of all I don't usually like chains especially when I am on da Big Island because there is such great restaurants that source locally. Took the wife here for a nice meal. We sat outside and had the prime rib and a nice bottle of wine. Kinda funny as I had a cocktail with the appetizer and then ordered wine to go with dinner. They would not open the wine until I had finished the cocktail due to liquor laws in Hawaii. We sat outside and everything was spot on!
(4)
Eric H.
Be warned, they do not honor mainland pricing or the specials presented on TV/radio
(1)
Erynn T.
Came here for the 1st time for dinner today. Semi-busy but not noisy. we were seated quickly and our waitress Alana was really good, super friendly and attentive. Our food came really fast too! We got the flatbread w/ chicken, artichoke, spinach appetizer. It was good, but it really wasn't "flatbread" it was a crispy fried tortilla. I had a strawberry lemonade too, which was good. A bit syrupy/sweet but still refreshing and thirst-quenching. The bf had prime rib & they were willing to add more ounces so he got 32 oz (they charge $1 per additional ounce). This was nice because when we went to Outback on Oahu, they wouldn't do larger cuts than the 16 oz (and yes, he ate it all :P). For my entree I got the woodfire grilled chicken salad. I wouldn't say it was the nicest presentation -- everything looked just thrown together and not really mixed. Big portion though. There was supposed to be green apple and walnuts with mixed greens, but majority of the salad was won bok cabbage with a little romaine. I only had about 5 pieces of apple and they were buried under the salad rather than mixed in. But the vinaigrette dressing was tasty. The chicken was alright. Just wish there was more green apples & variety of lettuce though. Overall the flavor was good but it's not something I'd order again. Overall I enjoyed eating here, the service was good and I would come back again but order something else.
(4)
Jim V.
Massive portions. Ribs are nicely prepared, burger was huge and delicious. Service was excellent, no issues whatsoever. Priced accordingly and didn't feel ripped off like some other restaurants in the tourist locations. Skip the fries and order a Baked potatoes! They are excellent!
(4)
Kaneohe G.
food was excellent, service was good, great view!
(5)
Nancy Z.
We were fans of this chain when it hit the west coast many years ago. After moving to the Big Island, Outback found our piece of the world. We would often stop on the way to or from the airport for a nice dinner. I like their food but for the price (which is a bit high), I'd rather give my dollars to a 'local' business whose food is just as good if not better. The food at Outback is just not that special. The wine is not that good given the high price (not that unusual in town). The rub for us is that every time....I mean every single time....we've eaten there, they don't give us our full change. Now I've been places where they do this, but the change is always in your favor. Not at Outback. If you're due $10.50 in change, they give you $10. My husband pitches a fit and generally won't leave a tip. The waitress actually told my husband they keep the change because "everyone leaves the change as part of the tip." The last time we were there, we spoke with the manager to find out if this was Outback's 'policy'. The manager assured us it was not. For those of you visiting, don't waste your time eating food you can get anytime at home. I suggest you try the places that feature fresh, local food. As for us, we've given up on this place.
(1)
Shawnee G.
I was craving steak and figured this would be the best place to go. First we were seated outside and it was a very windy night, this was after a 30+ minute wait at 7ish. $20 for their special cut which was tough and chewy and add $10 for FOUR over cooked, rubber scallops. Because we were seated outside, we barely saw our server. After we received our food, we waited awhile to request for some steak sauce and our food just sat there and got cold. Husband paid by card and the server brought back the receipt without the card. Absent minded, we left without realizing it and had to go out of our way the next day to get it. What a total rip off, we will never return here. I'd rather spend this kind of money at a local place where the food will most likely be better, not to mention the service.
(2)
Jamie P.
My wife and I ate here because we had been given a gift card for our honeymoon. The food was prepared perfect and the service was excellent. My wife and I expect good service, and this is what we got. We knew from experiences at home that Outback's food is very tasty and consistent, it did not disappoint. The ahi tuna was delicious, per usual, as was the prime rib. She ordered the filet and lobster and they were both great. They even threw in a free dessert as a honeymoon gift. There were absolutely no complaints.
(5)
Ramona P.
Ok, so Its a chain, that I understand but we really needed hot food coming out into a clean dining room. We really didn;t get enough hot food that week! That was our only criteria that evening. Plus we wanted happy hour and 1/2 price appetizers. Outback was the answer! We get there around 5pm, and almost ALL the booths in the bar area were taken, all except one, the one we got! We start getting our drink on, we start getting our eat on, then our 2 friends join us, and were ALL GETTING OUR GROOVE ON! Yeah Outback! I wou ld have never considered you at home, but ya sure did a good job pleasing us on vacation. I liked the Ahi tuna, coconut shrimp, and the frozen drinkie I had. I also enjoyed the BIG comfy booth too! All this for seventy five dollars! Thanks again Outback! Love ya!
(4)
Jessica H.
Food was good, portions were somewhat small. The restaurant was really clean, and the waiters were nice.
(4)
Johnny E.
We always eat here from time to time when running errands in Kona. Food is always great and consistent and probably the only place here that reminds us on being back in the Mainland (which we miss dearly). Funny how it being "Outback Steakhouse". Service is good and the area that it is at is very scenic as it is close to the ocean. For dessert they have a new chocolate brownie waffle which is probably the best dessert they have made. We would even go back there just for that dessert.
(4)
Jillian P.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Outback Steakhouse! I would've given the Kailua-Kona location 5 stars, BUT I have received bad service at this place before. At times the service can be slowww. I have also received rude servers - which is always a bad thing. HOWEVER, for the most part, I've received good-great service. When it comes to the food - I have NO complaints. Everything I've ever eaten at Outback floats my boat. I love their finni dinni sauce, it's soooo good. :) I think that their ribs are amazing! I also love the Alice Springs Chicken as well as the Chicken on the Barbie. They have a no rules pasta which is SOOOO good as well. My friend LOVES the alice springs chicken quesadillas; it's an appetizer BUT could totally work as your dinner. Speaking of appetizers, their aussie chesse fries are TO DIE FOR. :)
(4)
Randy B.
After disappointing meals at other restaurants, we wanted a place we could count on and Outback measured up. The service was great and the food delivered in a timely manner. The only complaint was that the teriyaki sauce on the teriyaki sirloin tasted a bit different than at home. It was still good, just a little different.
(4)
Colleen F.
You can't beat filet mignon and lobster tail for $33. Pick any steak and you can add shrimp or lobster to the meal for a reasonable price. Service was fast and friendly and the food was great
(5)
Tara H.
The food and service were good. You can't go wrong at Outback.
(4)
Linda K.
I just ordered a carry out order as I'm eating alone out here on business. The server working the take away section was nice and courteous. When I got back to my hotel the food was hot and nicely packed with the sides separated. Food was exactly as I ordered it and tastier than I remember from the last time I ate at outback at a different location. A lot of time when you order take out they get your order wrong or forget the utensils etc.. But it seems like they take a lot of care in their take out business.
(4)
R G.
Dining at Outback in Hawaii?? Really? YES!!! Especially if you need to eat gluten free like I do. We ate outside, which I highly recommend. Everything tastes better outside. We ordered the grilled shrimp as an appetizer. Super yummy. I ordered ribs, baked potato, and sauteed mushrooms. Can I just say these mushrooms were amazing? Sauteed in a beef broth and red wine. Awesome!! My husband ordered a steak with a lobster mushroom sauce. The sauce was an extra $5.00 and was a huge disappointment to my husband. He wished he would have ordered the sauteed mushrooms as well. I did share a few with him, but kept the majority for myself. There are some things a wife just cannot share!! Service was super friendly and expedient. Overall, worth a trip there!
(4)
Ticia G.
I hate to give a chain 4 stars but this restaurant is located in the middle of Kona and has a lovely deck we dined on. The server was Uber friendly and helpful, the food was prepared perfectly and was delicious. The prices were much higher than home but I suspect that is par for the course.
(4)
J B.
We went here for my birthday dinner, although we did not tell them it was my birthday. Regardless, that fact should not have had an impact on the service (or lack of) that we received. The waitress did not bring us any bread the entire time we were there. It took her 20 minutes to get us 2 glasses of water. The food was ok as usual, but the slowness of the waitress really gave a bad impression. At the end, we handed her our credit card and waited nearly 25 minutes for her to finish "chatting" with the table next to us, and then discovered she hadn't even swiped the card yet! We were staring at her while she was chatting and she just ignored us completely. Horrible, horrible service.
(1)
RZ H.
Surprisingly, the happy hour in the bar here is nice and for locals it is a great change of pace if you are craving a bit of the mainland. The food is consistently good and prices seem to be the same as what you would pay on the mainland too.
(4)
M S.
It was late. We couldn't get in where we wanted to go. Outback was a 'known' quantity and didn't disappoint: good (prime rib) to very good (lobster) entrees, served with speed and gusto. Not cheap, but not outrageous either. In the same circumstances, we'd happily go again.
(3)
Jen P.
Our ahi tuna came out frozen. The waitress took it to the kitchen and when she returned her comment was, "I held it under the heat lamp for a bit. I don't want to touch it so let me know if it's okay." Wow, customer service at it's best.
(2)
LA W.
I ordered the BBQ chicken salad and was glad I used a gift certificate because it was not worth $17! There were no tortilla strips and if they added the bbq sauce to the dressing, it was hard to tell. There was nothing barbequed about this salad. There were about 12 pieces of "roasted" corn. I'm lucky if there was a 1/4 of a chicken breast. Trader Joe's does a better BBQ chicken salad for 1/3 the cost of this bland, sorry salad. Outback used to be awesome back in the day but that was before my hair turned grey. Their steaks are small, tough, and full of gristle. I don't know where they find such small bake potatoes. I still have $8 on my gift card and will send it to a friend who will use it at the bar. If it weren't for the gift, I would never have gone. I won't return.
(1)
Chris W.
Went here because it was familiar to us the staff was very easily confused we noticed not to be extremely overbusy the hostesses were very uncoordinated but after 20 minutes when we did get seated the waiter we had was great the food was good , my steak was cooked just right,, but we did hear several tables around us complaining. And sending dishes back so maybe we just got lucky.
(4)
Lance O.
I know it is big chain restaurant, trust me, I have a hard time giving a chain, such a high score, but they do a fantastic job at it. When you have a child that orders "Double Broccoli" over french fries - you need to go back. The food is consistently the same - excellent, the service is fantastic, in fact if you go, ask for "Lehua's" area, she always remembers us, right there with a tall Fosters before we have to ask, and overall a great waitress. I can't forget Matt, the prevarior of the restaurant, usually walks around and checks on everybody, runs a good crew, and is just a good man. Please feel to use our name (Lance,Kimi, Dean) if you get Lehua as your server and tell her "I said to treat you like family". Location, also fantastic, the kids play in the sand volleyball pit whey we wait, close to shops, indoor and outdoor seating - sunsets are awesome from outisde seating
(5)
Joe G.
Typical Outback fare, but sit outside and view the ocean! The service was spectacular!
(4)
Kalani T.
I'm too full to write a story about this place. Take my word...it's good and it's worth it! I going sleep now...Aloha's :)
(5)
Joshua Lee B.
This is a GOOD spot for a meal. I wish they had 3.5 stars because it's almost 4 stars but not quite. We had great service, friendly, great for my kids. Good anticipation for the meal. I was very happy. QUINN, the bartender!! Whew!! Man can she pour a great drink! Between her and Sara they kept the costumers content!!! We had a wonderful experience. Not 5 star cuisine, but it was very decent. For the price and atmosphere, well done. We had Mac & cheese for kids with side of ribs. Wife had filet w/ lobster topping. I had blue cheese crusted filet, with bacon wrapped shrimp. They are small , but tasty. We ordered the Alice springs chicken appetizer cassadia. It was great, along with the blackened ahi and blooming onion. Onion is a classic, I wasn't to fond of it, but it is a novel idea. Ahi was good! Little spicy with so much pepper, but great quality on fish. Both filets were cooked perfectly. Rare!!! Grilled asparagus, with loaded baked potatoes... Had to ask for extra bacon/sour cream, but still yummy!!! Wish we had room for dessert!!! Kids stuffed, wife content, and myself filled to the brim!!!! Will be having pie for dessert at home!!!! :) Very satisfied, a well worth meal!!
(3)
Anela U.
This location is consistently inconsistent. Went there about a year ago & left after 30 minutes because we never got greeted at our table. Decided to try again last night for an early Father's Day dinner. We see ads on TV all the time about specials & promotions. Be advised, they don't offer them here. The bartender even stated, "We don't have everything you see on TV. It's mostly on the mainland." We asked the bartender about any current specials or pre-fixe menus to which she said, "We have them on the inserts of our menu but I don't have that page right now." She walked away & never made an attempt to find a "full" menu. We ended up ordering a salad & chicken wings & left. What great Father's Day meal. If you're in Hawaii, eat local & stay away from this chain restaurant.
(1)
Steve K.
My wife and I decided to actually have dinner instead of takeout here on Monday, so this will be a bit different from my takeout reviews. First off, we prefer to sit outside, on the ocean side; you have a bit of ocean view, and it is much quieter than inside. Some may prefer inside with a booth, but we enjoy the ambience. So we sat outside, and had a leisurely beer; glad to have a local beer on tap, Firerock. I ordered prime rib, rare, a baked potato and a salad, while my wife stuck with her favorite filet. We were tempted by a new set of sirloins that were only $18, but stayed with what we knew we liked. My wife did order the Marsala sauce as an extra, since it had been on one of the $18 sirloins, and it was a delicious addition. Our server Scott was attentive, apologetic when there were no bread plates as they were all in the wash, hurried out with them when they were available. Overall we really enjoyed the meal and the service, and the bill was a not unreasonable $74 for the two of us. We may have to rethink this whole takeout thing and stick with Thai and Chinese for takeout for a while as we really enjoyed ourselves. If you're on a budget they also have amazing burgers, as I think I noted in my review of takeout. It's nice to have this option available in town! Worth noting that both tables near by were local residents as well.
(4)
Sarah J.
It's so hot out that seeking refuge in Outback for lunch was a great choice. It was like cave dwelling but with food service ! We had a great meal ... 2 bloomin onion burgers they were about 5 inches tall and yummy... my bloody mary came with a whole piece of bacon in it, that was a first for me it was served in a mason jar... very very good ! We love the bleu cheese wedge salad too ! Our server Cammy was very friendly and looked after our every need ... 5 stars for her.. My only gripe is that they are only open for lunch on weekends. I think they would be surprised how many of us would become regulars if they would open for lunch on weekdays ? Especially during these dog-days of summer !
(4)
Yasmin V.
What happens when the power goes out and all you have is salad, bread and wine on the table? At this Outback, the staff and manager made "lemonade". While the power never did go back on, our meals and wine were on the house AND we were given "tuck ways" to use on our next visit. Thank you for treating us right! We'll be back!
(4)
Sheila D.
Best ribeye steak I had here on the Big Island :) the meat is tender and full of flavor... cooked exactly the way I like my steaks! :)
(5)
Roger B.
Had an unbaked potato and a tough steak. I expect more at Outback. I hope this is the exception.
(1)
Lisa L.
Just got seated after waiting 40 minutes. During this time watching "2" very unorganized hostess!! Both unfriendly, batting of the eyes, rolling of the eyes and a couple of the "F" words could be heard. Empty tables yet no one getting seated. Pagers are a joke when some are not written down, some being turned in and no clue who they belong to. One was EATING in the front trying to hide. While customers are hungry and irritated.. Servers are telling them they have empty tables but yet the move like snails to seat them. Get seated to be informed no prime rib or 8 oz steak available. Hope this meal gets better!!!
(1)
Dean I.
Had a red meat urge, so we came here for Sunday dinner. Wait was only 20 minutes, pretty quick. The service here is consistently good and friendly. I really like the garlic mash, its always smooth. We also tried the cheesecake w/ chocolate drizzle this time. Yay, fluffy cheesecake! I don't like heavy cheesecake, so this was a nice surprise. This is a go to spot for great steak and great service.
(4)
Lisa L L.
We would had sat outside but it was unusual windy,so we sat inside. What A disappointment, dark & dreary, my husband opened the shade a little, then the unhappy downer waitress ask him to close the shade, so back to dark& dreary. We where wanting happy and bright hawaii ambience. Our loss. The waitress was not very aloha attitude. The well drinks where mostly ice. The waitress forgot to bring several items we ask for. The food was just ok for the price. We will not go to the Kona Outback again. There are to many other happy aloha places to visit.
(2)
Bill C.
My friend and I had a wonderful lunch here outside with the ocean view. I definitely recommend sitting outside! I had the 12oz Outback signature steak, which was pretty filling and had their fries. Fries were standard. I had my steak medium rare, but it looked pretty medium to me. Nonetheless, it was tasty. My friend had the 9oz. steak with mashed potatoes. Looked pretty small, but it was a large serving of mashed potatoes. Their wings were pretty amazing! Bill for the 2 of us seemed a bit pricey for lunch, but for a good steak lunch, it was worth it. Bill Tip: You HAVE to try their strawberry and peach sangria. TO DIE FOR! If you want to be a classy drunk in the afternoon after lunch, this is the drink for you.
(4)
Jim V.
Massive portions. Ribs are nicely prepared, burger was huge and delicious. Service was excellent, no issues whatsoever. Priced accordingly and didn't feel ripped off like some other restaurants in the tourist locations. Skip the fries and order a Baked potatoes! They are excellent!
(4)
Kaneohe G.
food was excellent, service was good, great view!
(5)
Nancy Z.
We were fans of this chain when it hit the west coast many years ago. After moving to the Big Island, Outback found our piece of the world. We would often stop on the way to or from the airport for a nice dinner. I like their food but for the price (which is a bit high), I'd rather give my dollars to a 'local' business whose food is just as good if not better. The food at Outback is just not that special. The wine is not that good given the high price (not that unusual in town). The rub for us is that every time....I mean every single time....we've eaten there, they don't give us our full change. Now I've been places where they do this, but the change is always in your favor. Not at Outback. If you're due $10.50 in change, they give you $10. My husband pitches a fit and generally won't leave a tip. The waitress actually told my husband they keep the change because "everyone leaves the change as part of the tip." The last time we were there, we spoke with the manager to find out if this was Outback's 'policy'. The manager assured us it was not. For those of you visiting, don't waste your time eating food you can get anytime at home. I suggest you try the places that feature fresh, local food. As for us, we've given up on this place.
(1)
Cary P.
My wife and I are generally a fan of Outback. I can say that I have never had a bad steak there. Over the past several years I have been dining there less frequently. This experience may be our last, my wife says she is done. Let me say first off that I really dislike the "Gimicky" menus and POS materials at the table. They are very difficult to negotiate and remind me of the bulky picture menus at Denny's, right along with an "ABC" "123" on how to order a steak. Give me a break. This is the direction that the company has been heading for several years now. Outback Used to be a "Steakhouse"! Now in the same category as an Applebee's or Chilii's, not saying these are bad places, however OSH used to be a cut above. So here's the beef! Our Server was efficient not overly friendly or interested or informed, certainly not interested just going thru the motions. Food came quickly, squaw bread was warm and tasted good, Wings were hot and tasty but a little greasy, Salads were OK yet continue to shrink they are really a mini salad now. They have another POS piece on the table extolling their great "daily" homemade Croutons. This is definitely BS! My wife ordered Mahi Mahi with veggies, I ordered the "Porterhouse" this used to be called the Melbourne (if you hunt thru pages & pages of the sizzlin good day mate combos & blokey be billibong sirloin saucy toppers) you can still find it. The Mahi was a joke, Frozen, pale, poorly prepared ( keep in mind we're in Hawaii ) the "vegetables" no kidding were those mini "snack carrots" and some pre cut broccoli florets which had gone brown on the ends either from age , mishandling or poor storage procedures. My steak was good but if a guy orders a $30 steak make him some fresh fries. My fries were so funky they reminded me of leftover fries reheated. Anyway we were in a bit of a rush (as we were on our way to our Son's football game, we had matching tshirts on with our son's visiting HS name on them, you'd think the server might have asked us about this...but as I stated earlier...un-interested) so we didn't really complain, plus I didn't go to OSH for fries. Since I am a seasoned FoodService professional I thought i would grab my server and give him a few pointers. So after we cashed out I found my server to just tell him "that if a guy orders a $30 steak bring him fresh fries, don't serve your guests lousy looking veggies" Anyway end of story.... he got defensive and told me I had already had my chance to complain when he did his "obligatory un-interested" check back, I told him I wasn't complaining just trying to give him some pointers. "Whatever" seems to be the new attitude of the organization. My wife won't go back, I may sneak in for a porterhouse in a couple of years. Too bad since we are "after all on an island" Aloha.
(2)
Lance W.
The food was pretty good but service wasn't super great. My wife ate half her salad with her fingers before we were able to flag down someone to get a fork. That being said my mango salmon was actually pretty good.
(3)
Greg W.
The chicken Caesar was fantastic, but the shrimp Caesar was basically baron of shrimp and anything else... Mentioned it to the waitress Angel and she was extremely receptive and brought us a desert without saying anything. Service was way better than expected!
(5)
Nick H.
Your same ole' Outback. I did notice that the prices were about $5-9 more per plate. We had the sirloin and shrimp.
(4)
Jaime T.
The food is good and tasty. I gave them a three star because my server was really nice though he was not quite on it. I think there is either too much people here and not enough staff OR not enough staff and too much people. He missed some things we ordered but apologized and was nice but if he was on it then I would only give this place a four stars. Five stars would be the best of the best. Food was delicious though!!!!
(3)
Samantha O.
It's always good but only once have I received pasta that was too spicy. I've just recently tried going here and it doesn't really ever disappoint especially our waiter named Desmond was so awesome! Very quick, very understanding and friendly. My family and I are very picky with our service and he met our needs ! Btw, their prime rib was to die for!
(4)
Loyal B.
Food Quality: 10/10 The burger I had was fantastic. They had a nice selection of meats and appetizers. Service Quality: 10/10 I really loved our waiter. He was fast, efficient and friendly. Atmosphere: 3/10 The building itself and the view is non existant. Not much of a looker. Cost Efficiency: 9/10 It was really good for the price. Willing to pay. Menu Variety: 8/10 They had awesome meats, burgers, and other assortments. Over-all Score: 40/50 I am sure glad I tried it out.
(3)
Yasmin V.
What happens when the power goes out and all you have is salad, bread and wine on the table? At this Outback, the staff and manager made "lemonade". While the power never did go back on, our meals and wine were on the house AND we were given "tuck ways" to use on our next visit. Thank you for treating us right! We'll be back!
(4)
Sheila D.
Best ribeye steak I had here on the Big Island :) the meat is tender and full of flavor... cooked exactly the way I like my steaks! :)
(5)
Samantha O.
It's always good but only once have I received pasta that was too spicy. I've just recently tried going here and it doesn't really ever disappoint especially our waiter named Desmond was so awesome! Very quick, very understanding and friendly. My family and I are very picky with our service and he met our needs ! Btw, their prime rib was to die for!
(4)
Lance W.
The food was pretty good but service wasn't super great. My wife ate half her salad with her fingers before we were able to flag down someone to get a fork. That being said my mango salmon was actually pretty good.
(3)
Yves R.
I came back despite swearing to myself I would never do so, but I was hungry and didn't have much choice. Well, this dinner experience was better than last year, but the food is still so so. I ordered the prime rib with sides of baked potato and Cesar salad. The best was the salad, second the baked potato, and last the prime rib! (Yeah, not the other way around). The beef was medium rare as I requested it, relatively flavorful, but disturbingly chewy. I really think that the size of this company has gotten the best of them and that they are now just another average diner restaurant. At least we know what we're getting, right?
(2)
C. K.
I am not really sure if this place belongs in Kona, but it's there along with many other bars and grills. With their usual steakhouse sized steaks and steakhouse prices, I don't know how this place expected to compete with the portion sizes of local restaurant and fill the bellies of big hawaiians locals. Just like any chain restaurants, the taste is pretty good, and the inside is very well decorated. The server and busser, however, did not seem so delighted to see us, and had that straight faces on. I was comparing out server with the one next table had, who was smiling and laughing the whole time when talking to customers. I don't think I can say much, it's outback. You know what to expect.
(3)
Lina P.
Yeah, I'd rather support local, but its a scary world out there! So many horrible places on Alii Drive that for once in my life I'd rather trust a corporate restaurant. I come here more often then I'd like to admit, why? Because they are consistent! Service is always friendly although not alway fast, but I'll take friendliness any day! Come for Happy Hour, get a tall glass of beer, the Ahi Sashimi, and one other item off the Happy Hour menu! Its worth it! They open later in the day, I think its 4:30.
(4)
Jaimie W.
Our recent dinner at Outback was disappointing for many reasons. The Calamari appetizer was small with poorly-breaded so-so tasting squid, The Caesar salad with shrimp was too salty, and the dressing was less tasty than most any supermarket brand Caesar dressing. Finally, the ribs were dry with very mediocre flavor. The only positive aspect of our visit was our waitress who was nice and competent.
(1)
Roger B.
Had an unbaked potato and a tough steak. I expect more at Outback. I hope this is the exception.
(1)
Lisa L.
Just got seated after waiting 40 minutes. During this time watching "2" very unorganized hostess!! Both unfriendly, batting of the eyes, rolling of the eyes and a couple of the "F" words could be heard. Empty tables yet no one getting seated. Pagers are a joke when some are not written down, some being turned in and no clue who they belong to. One was EATING in the front trying to hide. While customers are hungry and irritated.. Servers are telling them they have empty tables but yet the move like snails to seat them. Get seated to be informed no prime rib or 8 oz steak available. Hope this meal gets better!!!
(1)
Dean I.
Had a red meat urge, so we came here for Sunday dinner. Wait was only 20 minutes, pretty quick. The service here is consistently good and friendly. I really like the garlic mash, its always smooth. We also tried the cheesecake w/ chocolate drizzle this time. Yay, fluffy cheesecake! I don't like heavy cheesecake, so this was a nice surprise. This is a go to spot for great steak and great service.
(4)
Lisa L L.
We would had sat outside but it was unusual windy,so we sat inside. What A disappointment, dark & dreary, my husband opened the shade a little, then the unhappy downer waitress ask him to close the shade, so back to dark& dreary. We where wanting happy and bright hawaii ambience. Our loss. The waitress was not very aloha attitude. The well drinks where mostly ice. The waitress forgot to bring several items we ask for. The food was just ok for the price. We will not go to the Kona Outback again. There are to many other happy aloha places to visit.
(2)
Bill C.
My friend and I had a wonderful lunch here outside with the ocean view. I definitely recommend sitting outside! I had the 12oz Outback signature steak, which was pretty filling and had their fries. Fries were standard. I had my steak medium rare, but it looked pretty medium to me. Nonetheless, it was tasty. My friend had the 9oz. steak with mashed potatoes. Looked pretty small, but it was a large serving of mashed potatoes. Their wings were pretty amazing! Bill for the 2 of us seemed a bit pricey for lunch, but for a good steak lunch, it was worth it. Bill Tip: You HAVE to try their strawberry and peach sangria. TO DIE FOR! If you want to be a classy drunk in the afternoon after lunch, this is the drink for you.
(4)
Jaime T.
The food is good and tasty. I gave them a three star because my server was really nice though he was not quite on it. I think there is either too much people here and not enough staff OR not enough staff and too much people. He missed some things we ordered but apologized and was nice but if he was on it then I would only give this place a four stars. Five stars would be the best of the best. Food was delicious though!!!!
(3)
Greg W.
The chicken Caesar was fantastic, but the shrimp Caesar was basically baron of shrimp and anything else... Mentioned it to the waitress Angel and she was extremely receptive and brought us a desert without saying anything. Service was way better than expected!
(5)
Nick H.
Your same ole' Outback. I did notice that the prices were about $5-9 more per plate. We had the sirloin and shrimp.
(4)
Loyal B.
Food Quality: 10/10 The burger I had was fantastic. They had a nice selection of meats and appetizers. Service Quality: 10/10 I really loved our waiter. He was fast, efficient and friendly. Atmosphere: 3/10 The building itself and the view is non existant. Not much of a looker. Cost Efficiency: 9/10 It was really good for the price. Willing to pay. Menu Variety: 8/10 They had awesome meats, burgers, and other assortments. Over-all Score: 40/50 I am sure glad I tried it out.
(3)
Cary P.
My wife and I are generally a fan of Outback. I can say that I have never had a bad steak there. Over the past several years I have been dining there less frequently. This experience may be our last, my wife says she is done. Let me say first off that I really dislike the "Gimicky" menus and POS materials at the table. They are very difficult to negotiate and remind me of the bulky picture menus at Denny's, right along with an "ABC" "123" on how to order a steak. Give me a break. This is the direction that the company has been heading for several years now. Outback Used to be a "Steakhouse"! Now in the same category as an Applebee's or Chilii's, not saying these are bad places, however OSH used to be a cut above. So here's the beef! Our Server was efficient not overly friendly or interested or informed, certainly not interested just going thru the motions. Food came quickly, squaw bread was warm and tasted good, Wings were hot and tasty but a little greasy, Salads were OK yet continue to shrink they are really a mini salad now. They have another POS piece on the table extolling their great "daily" homemade Croutons. This is definitely BS! My wife ordered Mahi Mahi with veggies, I ordered the "Porterhouse" this used to be called the Melbourne (if you hunt thru pages & pages of the sizzlin good day mate combos & blokey be billibong sirloin saucy toppers) you can still find it. The Mahi was a joke, Frozen, pale, poorly prepared ( keep in mind we're in Hawaii ) the "vegetables" no kidding were those mini "snack carrots" and some pre cut broccoli florets which had gone brown on the ends either from age , mishandling or poor storage procedures. My steak was good but if a guy orders a $30 steak make him some fresh fries. My fries were so funky they reminded me of leftover fries reheated. Anyway we were in a bit of a rush (as we were on our way to our Son's football game, we had matching tshirts on with our son's visiting HS name on them, you'd think the server might have asked us about this...but as I stated earlier...un-interested) so we didn't really complain, plus I didn't go to OSH for fries. Since I am a seasoned FoodService professional I thought i would grab my server and give him a few pointers. So after we cashed out I found my server to just tell him "that if a guy orders a $30 steak bring him fresh fries, don't serve your guests lousy looking veggies" Anyway end of story.... he got defensive and told me I had already had my chance to complain when he did his "obligatory un-interested" check back, I told him I wasn't complaining just trying to give him some pointers. "Whatever" seems to be the new attitude of the organization. My wife won't go back, I may sneak in for a porterhouse in a couple of years. Too bad since we are "after all on an island" Aloha.
(2)
Wayne I.
Solid corporate company with the same food as the mainland although at slightly higher prices here in Hawaii. Service was good which is hard to come by in hawaii...bartenders were excellent. Offering recommendations and quick at refills. The $4 bar menu is what to look at if your here.
(4)
Island G.
Hit or miss. Food is average outback food, I feel like this location is generally good. Blooming onion is a must. Mac & Cheese was good but spicy. Thu-Sun there's prime rib, $26-$32, it the best deal since all the other steak dinners put you back $22++. We always order 2 PR dinners, the biggest cut, it's a ridiculous amount of food BUT we take leftovers to-go and its enough for another meal for the 2 of us. They can get busy sometimes & obviously food/service will take longer so keep that in mind if you don't want to wait or be set up for disappointment. We always skip and go somewhere else when they're busy. .
(3)
Victoria G.
The only reason I'm giving two stars is because the place was clean. Just a couple things bothered us besides our sloppy looking waitress... We asked for our steaks medium rare (pink), our plates were soooo bloody! It had dripped all over our sides. They forgot to bring my toppings out ($6) with my steak, when they finally brought them out I was basically finished with my steak and they still charged me! I also asked for substitution of a certain alcohol in one of my adult beverages and we were charged for two separate beverages! We thought it would be a nice taste of home while on the island and it was pure awful.
(2)
John L.
Went and had dinner at the kona location. Got seated quickly our server Stephen was great, attentive. Found the food to be just mediocre. The problem was when we sat down outside I was instantly stuck to the arms of the chair so just for grins I took my napkin and wiped the chair arm in one spot and it was horribly dirty. I think a place that offers food that is eaten by hand, ribs burgers and such should not have such disgusting places to sit. I don't see myself going back any time soon.
(2)
Ruben G.
Server Desmond was very nice, attentive, a bit of a smart- ass at the end about a price difference of the dish they brought to me in error, I was gracious enough to take the wrong item, . So I will leave him the difference on the table for the remark. Mahalo
(3)
Elaine C.
Went to outback for the first time in 4 years. Gosh they have changed. Our server was Allison, she was wonderful great personality . That was the best part of dinner. I ordered mahi with a lobster/mushroom sauce. The fish tasted old and dry. I took two bites and didn't eat any more. My hubby had the rack of lamb. Another disappointment. The lamb almost tastes like old mutton. He asked for asparagus and he received 5 pieces of skinny spears that were tough and woodsy. Couldn't eat that either. But our server immediately took off quite a bit of the total.
(3)
Chelsea L.
Came in on an extremely busy Friday night 10 minutes before closing and had terrific service from a kind mustached gentleman Josh D. Ordered multiple rounds of beers alongside apps, entrees, and dessert. The food was steaming hot/fresh and the service was expedient. Would recommend this restaurant to Kona residents and visitors alike. Thanks!
(5)
Russell S.
The first thing the waiter told us... Was that there were plenty of medium and well-cooked steak left in the kitchen. .... ... WTF ... .... What does this even mean? Aren't steaks cooked to order? This immediately let me know there was no way I would be ordering a steak... At a steakhouse. I ended up ordering the chicken strips, which were dry and frozen flavored. The food here was insulting, especially for the price. Absolute trash. My friends wanted to go here for the blooming onion...which was sadly the tastiest item our party of 7 had.
(1)
PiLo G.
Yesterday evening was really great, we sat outside on the patio we were able to see the sunset and the water. Warm atmosphere and our waiter Trevor helped us feel at home. All the food was really good. The steak and lobster tails absolutely loved, the Cajun shrimp skewers were my favorite- cooked just right; super delicious sauce and perfect portion size. I was also pleasantly surprised with a new item "Steak Mac n cheese" it was awesome !!! Everyone seemed to work together nicely; our food came out super fast and drinks came quick. Trevor really gave outstanding service; I didn't even realize the restaurant was at full capacity till we got up to leave. Of all the Outback locations I've been to this is by far my favorite!
(4)
Valerie M.
We live here in Kona and Outback used to be one of our favorite places to go to meet friends for drinks and appetizers, especially at happy hour. Now, no more happy hour drinks and no half-price appetizers :( Their steaks were always sub par. Huggos on the Rocks here we come :)
(1)
Windi G.
I say that our outback here in kona is one of our best restaurants in town!!! There always consistent and the service is always GREAT!! The atmosphere is very kid friendly and very welcoming!!!
(5)
Fern K.
Host service was excellent, whereas, table service was mediocre at best & the food was as served in every other Outback Restaurant in the world! Sorry but it was nothing really special on a special day like Father's Day!
(3)
Dustyn I.
Went there earlier tonight. Food was good...had the ribeye with Caesar salad and broccoli. The special desert was really good! Think it was a salted caramel cookie. Not sure why but something was off...can't really put my finger on it but just don't think it was 5 star worthy...but definitely still good and well worth a 4 star rating.
(4)
Jose T.
Food is decent if you send it back to get it recooked , service is awful from both the waitstaff and at the bar . They accept Amex which is a plus .
(1)
Amber H.
I love the fact that I can still get a swiss cheese mushroom burger even though it is not on the menu... the drinks are good too.
(5)
Tom A.
It is Outback Food was good as usual. Our waitress was great. It is priced a little higher than most Outbacks but you are in Hawaii.
(4)
Richard F.
Food was delicious! Steaks were juicy and cooked to order. Food came at a timely manner and our waiter, although not very energized was curtious, accommodating, kept drinks full and checked on us periodically. He was a very good server. I don't expect a ton of energy at the end of the night with a packed house on mother's day. Only reason it's not 5 stars is I had reservations but was seated 15 min after (not to bad considering the traffic) but also the seating was very cramped by the wall. Other than that food was great and the server was really good. Happy mother's day!
(4)
Marleen M.
The food and service is usually up to par at this Outback. However, last night they dropped a few stars. First, our waiter forgot to put in our appetizer order and we didn't realize it until we were served our entrees. We opted to skip it and just dig in to our meals. My son had the Outback special steak with a side of crab legs. The side of crab was $14.99, and such a disappointment. The crab meat was dry and cold. Our waiter did bring us ONE bowl of ice cream to share since he forgot our appetizer....and was apologetic....I didn't have the heart to tell him the crab legs sucked. Side note: I've had the crab legs here before and they were good...not great...but ok. Guess they were having an off night.
(3)
Brandi T.
Great service and it was fast! Can't believe how good they were for it being a chain restaurant. Food was really good and the people are very helpful on how to order your steak. This place so far has been better then the fancy restaurants in the area!
(4)
Megan F.
Though I try to frequent local eateries when traveling, sometimes you just need a hunk of red meat and a salad from a place you can count on. Outback in Kona delivered & at a price that was almost identical to what I pay at home. I even had my only good glass of iced tea in Kona at this restaurant. Try to get a table on the patio; there's a nice ocean view and a wonderful island breeze.
(4)
Mary J.
Even though the company offers a gluten free menu, a certain waiter is not gluten free friendly. Celiac is a disease and yes, Virginia, people really are allergic to gluten. Who made you a doctor instead of a waiter? Celiacs and those that eat gluten free, go elsewhere.
(1)
Summer S.
The burgers were very small and not very tasty, the kitchen was very backed up so it took about 30 minutes to get our food, which was not very good. Even the Bloomin onion seemed overly greasy and a bit overcooked. There are much better places to go for the same price or less on Ali'i drive
(1)
Cam M.
Came to have lobster with the family. We love the steamed lobster here. Unfortunately the food took forever to come and when it did the lobsters were cold and tough, not like how they usually are. How ever Zachary our server and the manager where very helpful and fixed our order and comped a couple of our apps. Once fixed the food tasted great. Their app combo is good and so are their veggies, like the asparagus. Also recommend their French onion soup. The service has been horrible here before but Zachary was great.
(4)
Joshua Lee B.
This is a GOOD spot for a meal. I wish they had 3.5 stars because it's almost 4 stars but not quite. We had great service, friendly, great for my kids. Good anticipation for the meal. I was very happy. QUINN, the bartender!! Whew!! Man can she pour a great drink! Between her and Sara they kept the costumers content!!! We had a wonderful experience. Not 5 star cuisine, but it was very decent. For the price and atmosphere, well done. We had Mac & cheese for kids with side of ribs. Wife had filet w/ lobster topping. I had blue cheese crusted filet, with bacon wrapped shrimp. They are small , but tasty. We ordered the Alice springs chicken appetizer cassadia. It was great, along with the blackened ahi and blooming onion. Onion is a classic, I wasn't to fond of it, but it is a novel idea. Ahi was good! Little spicy with so much pepper, but great quality on fish. Both filets were cooked perfectly. Rare!!! Grilled asparagus, with loaded baked potatoes... Had to ask for extra bacon/sour cream, but still yummy!!! Wish we had room for dessert!!! Kids stuffed, wife content, and myself filled to the brim!!!! Will be having pie for dessert at home!!!! :) Very satisfied, a well worth meal!!
(3)
Anela U.
This location is consistently inconsistent. Went there about a year ago & left after 30 minutes because we never got greeted at our table. Decided to try again last night for an early Father's Day dinner. We see ads on TV all the time about specials & promotions. Be advised, they don't offer them here. The bartender even stated, "We don't have everything you see on TV. It's mostly on the mainland." We asked the bartender about any current specials or pre-fixe menus to which she said, "We have them on the inserts of our menu but I don't have that page right now." She walked away & never made an attempt to find a "full" menu. We ended up ordering a salad & chicken wings & left. What great Father's Day meal. If you're in Hawaii, eat local & stay away from this chain restaurant.
(1)
Chris W.
Went here because it was familiar to us the staff was very easily confused we noticed not to be extremely overbusy the hostesses were very uncoordinated but after 20 minutes when we did get seated the waiter we had was great the food was good , my steak was cooked just right,, but we did hear several tables around us complaining. And sending dishes back so maybe we just got lucky.
(4)
Jen P.
Our ahi tuna came out frozen. The waitress took it to the kitchen and when she returned her comment was, "I held it under the heat lamp for a bit. I don't want to touch it so let me know if it's okay." Wow, customer service at it's best.
(2)
LA W.
I ordered the BBQ chicken salad and was glad I used a gift certificate because it was not worth $17! There were no tortilla strips and if they added the bbq sauce to the dressing, it was hard to tell. There was nothing barbequed about this salad. There were about 12 pieces of "roasted" corn. I'm lucky if there was a 1/4 of a chicken breast. Trader Joe's does a better BBQ chicken salad for 1/3 the cost of this bland, sorry salad. Outback used to be awesome back in the day but that was before my hair turned grey. Their steaks are small, tough, and full of gristle. I don't know where they find such small bake potatoes. I still have $8 on my gift card and will send it to a friend who will use it at the bar. If it weren't for the gift, I would never have gone. I won't return.
(1)
Joe G.
Typical Outback fare, but sit outside and view the ocean! The service was spectacular!
(4)
Kalani T.
I'm too full to write a story about this place. Take my word...it's good and it's worth it! I going sleep now...Aloha's :)
(5)
Lance O.
I know it is big chain restaurant, trust me, I have a hard time giving a chain, such a high score, but they do a fantastic job at it. When you have a child that orders "Double Broccoli" over french fries - you need to go back. The food is consistently the same - excellent, the service is fantastic, in fact if you go, ask for "Lehua's" area, she always remembers us, right there with a tall Fosters before we have to ask, and overall a great waitress. I can't forget Matt, the prevarior of the restaurant, usually walks around and checks on everybody, runs a good crew, and is just a good man. Please feel to use our name (Lance,Kimi, Dean) if you get Lehua as your server and tell her "I said to treat you like family". Location, also fantastic, the kids play in the sand volleyball pit whey we wait, close to shops, indoor and outdoor seating - sunsets are awesome from outisde seating
(5)
Steve K.
My wife and I decided to actually have dinner instead of takeout here on Monday, so this will be a bit different from my takeout reviews. First off, we prefer to sit outside, on the ocean side; you have a bit of ocean view, and it is much quieter than inside. Some may prefer inside with a booth, but we enjoy the ambience. So we sat outside, and had a leisurely beer; glad to have a local beer on tap, Firerock. I ordered prime rib, rare, a baked potato and a salad, while my wife stuck with her favorite filet. We were tempted by a new set of sirloins that were only $18, but stayed with what we knew we liked. My wife did order the Marsala sauce as an extra, since it had been on one of the $18 sirloins, and it was a delicious addition. Our server Scott was attentive, apologetic when there were no bread plates as they were all in the wash, hurried out with them when they were available. Overall we really enjoyed the meal and the service, and the bill was a not unreasonable $74 for the two of us. We may have to rethink this whole takeout thing and stick with Thai and Chinese for takeout for a while as we really enjoyed ourselves. If you're on a budget they also have amazing burgers, as I think I noted in my review of takeout. It's nice to have this option available in town! Worth noting that both tables near by were local residents as well.
(4)
Sarah J.
It's so hot out that seeking refuge in Outback for lunch was a great choice. It was like cave dwelling but with food service ! We had a great meal ... 2 bloomin onion burgers they were about 5 inches tall and yummy... my bloody mary came with a whole piece of bacon in it, that was a first for me it was served in a mason jar... very very good ! We love the bleu cheese wedge salad too ! Our server Cammy was very friendly and looked after our every need ... 5 stars for her.. My only gripe is that they are only open for lunch on weekends. I think they would be surprised how many of us would become regulars if they would open for lunch on weekdays ? Especially during these dog-days of summer !
(4)
Wayne I.
Solid corporate company with the same food as the mainland although at slightly higher prices here in Hawaii. Service was good which is hard to come by in hawaii...bartenders were excellent. Offering recommendations and quick at refills. The $4 bar menu is what to look at if your here.
(4)
John L.
Went and had dinner at the kona location. Got seated quickly our server Stephen was great, attentive. Found the food to be just mediocre. The problem was when we sat down outside I was instantly stuck to the arms of the chair so just for grins I took my napkin and wiped the chair arm in one spot and it was horribly dirty. I think a place that offers food that is eaten by hand, ribs burgers and such should not have such disgusting places to sit. I don't see myself going back any time soon.
(2)
Ruben G.
Server Desmond was very nice, attentive, a bit of a smart- ass at the end about a price difference of the dish they brought to me in error, I was gracious enough to take the wrong item, . So I will leave him the difference on the table for the remark. Mahalo
(3)
Elaine C.
Went to outback for the first time in 4 years. Gosh they have changed. Our server was Allison, she was wonderful great personality . That was the best part of dinner. I ordered mahi with a lobster/mushroom sauce. The fish tasted old and dry. I took two bites and didn't eat any more. My hubby had the rack of lamb. Another disappointment. The lamb almost tastes like old mutton. He asked for asparagus and he received 5 pieces of skinny spears that were tough and woodsy. Couldn't eat that either. But our server immediately took off quite a bit of the total.
(3)
Chelsea L.
Came in on an extremely busy Friday night 10 minutes before closing and had terrific service from a kind mustached gentleman Josh D. Ordered multiple rounds of beers alongside apps, entrees, and dessert. The food was steaming hot/fresh and the service was expedient. Would recommend this restaurant to Kona residents and visitors alike. Thanks!
(5)
Russell S.
The first thing the waiter told us... Was that there were plenty of medium and well-cooked steak left in the kitchen. .... ... WTF ... .... What does this even mean? Aren't steaks cooked to order? This immediately let me know there was no way I would be ordering a steak... At a steakhouse. I ended up ordering the chicken strips, which were dry and frozen flavored. The food here was insulting, especially for the price. Absolute trash. My friends wanted to go here for the blooming onion...which was sadly the tastiest item our party of 7 had.
(1)
PiLo G.
Yesterday evening was really great, we sat outside on the patio we were able to see the sunset and the water. Warm atmosphere and our waiter Trevor helped us feel at home. All the food was really good. The steak and lobster tails absolutely loved, the Cajun shrimp skewers were my favorite- cooked just right; super delicious sauce and perfect portion size. I was also pleasantly surprised with a new item "Steak Mac n cheese" it was awesome !!! Everyone seemed to work together nicely; our food came out super fast and drinks came quick. Trevor really gave outstanding service; I didn't even realize the restaurant was at full capacity till we got up to leave. Of all the Outback locations I've been to this is by far my favorite!
(4)
Valerie M.
We live here in Kona and Outback used to be one of our favorite places to go to meet friends for drinks and appetizers, especially at happy hour. Now, no more happy hour drinks and no half-price appetizers :( Their steaks were always sub par. Huggos on the Rocks here we come :)
(1)
Windi G.
I say that our outback here in kona is one of our best restaurants in town!!! There always consistent and the service is always GREAT!! The atmosphere is very kid friendly and very welcoming!!!
(5)
Fern K.
Host service was excellent, whereas, table service was mediocre at best & the food was as served in every other Outback Restaurant in the world! Sorry but it was nothing really special on a special day like Father's Day!
(3)
Dustyn I.
Went there earlier tonight. Food was good...had the ribeye with Caesar salad and broccoli. The special desert was really good! Think it was a salted caramel cookie. Not sure why but something was off...can't really put my finger on it but just don't think it was 5 star worthy...but definitely still good and well worth a 4 star rating.
(4)
Jose T.
Food is decent if you send it back to get it recooked , service is awful from both the waitstaff and at the bar . They accept Amex which is a plus .
(1)
Amber H.
I love the fact that I can still get a swiss cheese mushroom burger even though it is not on the menu... the drinks are good too.
(5)
Tom A.
It is Outback Food was good as usual. Our waitress was great. It is priced a little higher than most Outbacks but you are in Hawaii.
(4)
Richard F.
Food was delicious! Steaks were juicy and cooked to order. Food came at a timely manner and our waiter, although not very energized was curtious, accommodating, kept drinks full and checked on us periodically. He was a very good server. I don't expect a ton of energy at the end of the night with a packed house on mother's day. Only reason it's not 5 stars is I had reservations but was seated 15 min after (not to bad considering the traffic) but also the seating was very cramped by the wall. Other than that food was great and the server was really good. Happy mother's day!
(4)
Brandi T.
Great service and it was fast! Can't believe how good they were for it being a chain restaurant. Food was really good and the people are very helpful on how to order your steak. This place so far has been better then the fancy restaurants in the area!
(4)
Marleen M.
The food and service is usually up to par at this Outback. However, last night they dropped a few stars. First, our waiter forgot to put in our appetizer order and we didn't realize it until we were served our entrees. We opted to skip it and just dig in to our meals. My son had the Outback special steak with a side of crab legs. The side of crab was $14.99, and such a disappointment. The crab meat was dry and cold. Our waiter did bring us ONE bowl of ice cream to share since he forgot our appetizer....and was apologetic....I didn't have the heart to tell him the crab legs sucked. Side note: I've had the crab legs here before and they were good...not great...but ok. Guess they were having an off night.
(3)
Megan F.
Though I try to frequent local eateries when traveling, sometimes you just need a hunk of red meat and a salad from a place you can count on. Outback in Kona delivered & at a price that was almost identical to what I pay at home. I even had my only good glass of iced tea in Kona at this restaurant. Try to get a table on the patio; there's a nice ocean view and a wonderful island breeze.
(4)
Mary J.
Even though the company offers a gluten free menu, a certain waiter is not gluten free friendly. Celiac is a disease and yes, Virginia, people really are allergic to gluten. Who made you a doctor instead of a waiter? Celiacs and those that eat gluten free, go elsewhere.
(1)
Summer S.
The burgers were very small and not very tasty, the kitchen was very backed up so it took about 30 minutes to get our food, which was not very good. Even the Bloomin onion seemed overly greasy and a bit overcooked. There are much better places to go for the same price or less on Ali'i drive
(1)
Cam M.
Came to have lobster with the family. We love the steamed lobster here. Unfortunately the food took forever to come and when it did the lobsters were cold and tough, not like how they usually are. How ever Zachary our server and the manager where very helpful and fixed our order and comped a couple of our apps. Once fixed the food tasted great. Their app combo is good and so are their veggies, like the asparagus. Also recommend their French onion soup. The service has been horrible here before but Zachary was great.
(4)
Joe G.
Typical Outback fare, but sit outside and view the ocean! The service was spectacular!
(4)
Kalani T.
I'm too full to write a story about this place. Take my word...it's good and it's worth it! I going sleep now...Aloha's :)
(5)
Joshua Lee B.
This is a GOOD spot for a meal. I wish they had 3.5 stars because it's almost 4 stars but not quite. We had great service, friendly, great for my kids. Good anticipation for the meal. I was very happy. QUINN, the bartender!! Whew!! Man can she pour a great drink! Between her and Sara they kept the costumers content!!! We had a wonderful experience. Not 5 star cuisine, but it was very decent. For the price and atmosphere, well done. We had Mac & cheese for kids with side of ribs. Wife had filet w/ lobster topping. I had blue cheese crusted filet, with bacon wrapped shrimp. They are small , but tasty. We ordered the Alice springs chicken appetizer cassadia. It was great, along with the blackened ahi and blooming onion. Onion is a classic, I wasn't to fond of it, but it is a novel idea. Ahi was good! Little spicy with so much pepper, but great quality on fish. Both filets were cooked perfectly. Rare!!! Grilled asparagus, with loaded baked potatoes... Had to ask for extra bacon/sour cream, but still yummy!!! Wish we had room for dessert!!! Kids stuffed, wife content, and myself filled to the brim!!!! Will be having pie for dessert at home!!!! :) Very satisfied, a well worth meal!!
(3)
Anela U.
This location is consistently inconsistent. Went there about a year ago & left after 30 minutes because we never got greeted at our table. Decided to try again last night for an early Father's Day dinner. We see ads on TV all the time about specials & promotions. Be advised, they don't offer them here. The bartender even stated, "We don't have everything you see on TV. It's mostly on the mainland." We asked the bartender about any current specials or pre-fixe menus to which she said, "We have them on the inserts of our menu but I don't have that page right now." She walked away & never made an attempt to find a "full" menu. We ended up ordering a salad & chicken wings & left. What great Father's Day meal. If you're in Hawaii, eat local & stay away from this chain restaurant.
(1)
Chris W.
Went here because it was familiar to us the staff was very easily confused we noticed not to be extremely overbusy the hostesses were very uncoordinated but after 20 minutes when we did get seated the waiter we had was great the food was good , my steak was cooked just right,, but we did hear several tables around us complaining. And sending dishes back so maybe we just got lucky.
(4)
Jen P.
Our ahi tuna came out frozen. The waitress took it to the kitchen and when she returned her comment was, "I held it under the heat lamp for a bit. I don't want to touch it so let me know if it's okay." Wow, customer service at it's best.
(2)
LA W.
I ordered the BBQ chicken salad and was glad I used a gift certificate because it was not worth $17! There were no tortilla strips and if they added the bbq sauce to the dressing, it was hard to tell. There was nothing barbequed about this salad. There were about 12 pieces of "roasted" corn. I'm lucky if there was a 1/4 of a chicken breast. Trader Joe's does a better BBQ chicken salad for 1/3 the cost of this bland, sorry salad. Outback used to be awesome back in the day but that was before my hair turned grey. Their steaks are small, tough, and full of gristle. I don't know where they find such small bake potatoes. I still have $8 on my gift card and will send it to a friend who will use it at the bar. If it weren't for the gift, I would never have gone. I won't return.
(1)
Lance O.
I know it is big chain restaurant, trust me, I have a hard time giving a chain, such a high score, but they do a fantastic job at it. When you have a child that orders "Double Broccoli" over french fries - you need to go back. The food is consistently the same - excellent, the service is fantastic, in fact if you go, ask for "Lehua's" area, she always remembers us, right there with a tall Fosters before we have to ask, and overall a great waitress. I can't forget Matt, the prevarior of the restaurant, usually walks around and checks on everybody, runs a good crew, and is just a good man. Please feel to use our name (Lance,Kimi, Dean) if you get Lehua as your server and tell her "I said to treat you like family". Location, also fantastic, the kids play in the sand volleyball pit whey we wait, close to shops, indoor and outdoor seating - sunsets are awesome from outisde seating
(5)
Steve K.
My wife and I decided to actually have dinner instead of takeout here on Monday, so this will be a bit different from my takeout reviews. First off, we prefer to sit outside, on the ocean side; you have a bit of ocean view, and it is much quieter than inside. Some may prefer inside with a booth, but we enjoy the ambience. So we sat outside, and had a leisurely beer; glad to have a local beer on tap, Firerock. I ordered prime rib, rare, a baked potato and a salad, while my wife stuck with her favorite filet. We were tempted by a new set of sirloins that were only $18, but stayed with what we knew we liked. My wife did order the Marsala sauce as an extra, since it had been on one of the $18 sirloins, and it was a delicious addition. Our server Scott was attentive, apologetic when there were no bread plates as they were all in the wash, hurried out with them when they were available. Overall we really enjoyed the meal and the service, and the bill was a not unreasonable $74 for the two of us. We may have to rethink this whole takeout thing and stick with Thai and Chinese for takeout for a while as we really enjoyed ourselves. If you're on a budget they also have amazing burgers, as I think I noted in my review of takeout. It's nice to have this option available in town! Worth noting that both tables near by were local residents as well.
(4)
Sarah J.
It's so hot out that seeking refuge in Outback for lunch was a great choice. It was like cave dwelling but with food service ! We had a great meal ... 2 bloomin onion burgers they were about 5 inches tall and yummy... my bloody mary came with a whole piece of bacon in it, that was a first for me it was served in a mason jar... very very good ! We love the bleu cheese wedge salad too ! Our server Cammy was very friendly and looked after our every need ... 5 stars for her.. My only gripe is that they are only open for lunch on weekends. I think they would be surprised how many of us would become regulars if they would open for lunch on weekdays ? Especially during these dog-days of summer !
(4)
Yasmin V.
What happens when the power goes out and all you have is salad, bread and wine on the table? At this Outback, the staff and manager made "lemonade". While the power never did go back on, our meals and wine were on the house AND we were given "tuck ways" to use on our next visit. Thank you for treating us right! We'll be back!
(4)
Sheila D.
Best ribeye steak I had here on the Big Island :) the meat is tender and full of flavor... cooked exactly the way I like my steaks! :)
(5)
Roger B.
Had an unbaked potato and a tough steak. I expect more at Outback. I hope this is the exception.
(1)
Lisa L.
Just got seated after waiting 40 minutes. During this time watching "2" very unorganized hostess!! Both unfriendly, batting of the eyes, rolling of the eyes and a couple of the "F" words could be heard. Empty tables yet no one getting seated. Pagers are a joke when some are not written down, some being turned in and no clue who they belong to. One was EATING in the front trying to hide. While customers are hungry and irritated.. Servers are telling them they have empty tables but yet the move like snails to seat them. Get seated to be informed no prime rib or 8 oz steak available. Hope this meal gets better!!!
(1)
Dean I.
Had a red meat urge, so we came here for Sunday dinner. Wait was only 20 minutes, pretty quick. The service here is consistently good and friendly. I really like the garlic mash, its always smooth. We also tried the cheesecake w/ chocolate drizzle this time. Yay, fluffy cheesecake! I don't like heavy cheesecake, so this was a nice surprise. This is a go to spot for great steak and great service.
(4)
Lisa L L.
We would had sat outside but it was unusual windy,so we sat inside. What A disappointment, dark & dreary, my husband opened the shade a little, then the unhappy downer waitress ask him to close the shade, so back to dark& dreary. We where wanting happy and bright hawaii ambience. Our loss. The waitress was not very aloha attitude. The well drinks where mostly ice. The waitress forgot to bring several items we ask for. The food was just ok for the price. We will not go to the Kona Outback again. There are to many other happy aloha places to visit.
(2)
Bill C.
My friend and I had a wonderful lunch here outside with the ocean view. I definitely recommend sitting outside! I had the 12oz Outback signature steak, which was pretty filling and had their fries. Fries were standard. I had my steak medium rare, but it looked pretty medium to me. Nonetheless, it was tasty. My friend had the 9oz. steak with mashed potatoes. Looked pretty small, but it was a large serving of mashed potatoes. Their wings were pretty amazing! Bill for the 2 of us seemed a bit pricey for lunch, but for a good steak lunch, it was worth it. Bill Tip: You HAVE to try their strawberry and peach sangria. TO DIE FOR! If you want to be a classy drunk in the afternoon after lunch, this is the drink for you.
(4)
Jaime T.
The food is good and tasty. I gave them a three star because my server was really nice though he was not quite on it. I think there is either too much people here and not enough staff OR not enough staff and too much people. He missed some things we ordered but apologized and was nice but if he was on it then I would only give this place a four stars. Five stars would be the best of the best. Food was delicious though!!!!
(3)
Samantha O.
It's always good but only once have I received pasta that was too spicy. I've just recently tried going here and it doesn't really ever disappoint especially our waiter named Desmond was so awesome! Very quick, very understanding and friendly. My family and I are very picky with our service and he met our needs ! Btw, their prime rib was to die for!
(4)
Cary P.
My wife and I are generally a fan of Outback. I can say that I have never had a bad steak there. Over the past several years I have been dining there less frequently. This experience may be our last, my wife says she is done. Let me say first off that I really dislike the "Gimicky" menus and POS materials at the table. They are very difficult to negotiate and remind me of the bulky picture menus at Denny's, right along with an "ABC" "123" on how to order a steak. Give me a break. This is the direction that the company has been heading for several years now. Outback Used to be a "Steakhouse"! Now in the same category as an Applebee's or Chilii's, not saying these are bad places, however OSH used to be a cut above. So here's the beef! Our Server was efficient not overly friendly or interested or informed, certainly not interested just going thru the motions. Food came quickly, squaw bread was warm and tasted good, Wings were hot and tasty but a little greasy, Salads were OK yet continue to shrink they are really a mini salad now. They have another POS piece on the table extolling their great "daily" homemade Croutons. This is definitely BS! My wife ordered Mahi Mahi with veggies, I ordered the "Porterhouse" this used to be called the Melbourne (if you hunt thru pages & pages of the sizzlin good day mate combos & blokey be billibong sirloin saucy toppers) you can still find it. The Mahi was a joke, Frozen, pale, poorly prepared ( keep in mind we're in Hawaii ) the "vegetables" no kidding were those mini "snack carrots" and some pre cut broccoli florets which had gone brown on the ends either from age , mishandling or poor storage procedures. My steak was good but if a guy orders a $30 steak make him some fresh fries. My fries were so funky they reminded me of leftover fries reheated. Anyway we were in a bit of a rush (as we were on our way to our Son's football game, we had matching tshirts on with our son's visiting HS name on them, you'd think the server might have asked us about this...but as I stated earlier...un-interested) so we didn't really complain, plus I didn't go to OSH for fries. Since I am a seasoned FoodService professional I thought i would grab my server and give him a few pointers. So after we cashed out I found my server to just tell him "that if a guy orders a $30 steak bring him fresh fries, don't serve your guests lousy looking veggies" Anyway end of story.... he got defensive and told me I had already had my chance to complain when he did his "obligatory un-interested" check back, I told him I wasn't complaining just trying to give him some pointers. "Whatever" seems to be the new attitude of the organization. My wife won't go back, I may sneak in for a porterhouse in a couple of years. Too bad since we are "after all on an island" Aloha.
(2)
Lance W.
The food was pretty good but service wasn't super great. My wife ate half her salad with her fingers before we were able to flag down someone to get a fork. That being said my mango salmon was actually pretty good.
(3)
Greg W.
The chicken Caesar was fantastic, but the shrimp Caesar was basically baron of shrimp and anything else... Mentioned it to the waitress Angel and she was extremely receptive and brought us a desert without saying anything. Service was way better than expected!
(5)
Nick H.
Your same ole' Outback. I did notice that the prices were about $5-9 more per plate. We had the sirloin and shrimp.
(4)
Loyal B.
Food Quality: 10/10 The burger I had was fantastic. They had a nice selection of meats and appetizers. Service Quality: 10/10 I really loved our waiter. He was fast, efficient and friendly. Atmosphere: 3/10 The building itself and the view is non existant. Not much of a looker. Cost Efficiency: 9/10 It was really good for the price. Willing to pay. Menu Variety: 8/10 They had awesome meats, burgers, and other assortments. Over-all Score: 40/50 I am sure glad I tried it out.
(3)
Yves R.
I came back despite swearing to myself I would never do so, but I was hungry and didn't have much choice. Well, this dinner experience was better than last year, but the food is still so so. I ordered the prime rib with sides of baked potato and Cesar salad. The best was the salad, second the baked potato, and last the prime rib! (Yeah, not the other way around). The beef was medium rare as I requested it, relatively flavorful, but disturbingly chewy. I really think that the size of this company has gotten the best of them and that they are now just another average diner restaurant. At least we know what we're getting, right?
(2)
C. K.
I am not really sure if this place belongs in Kona, but it's there along with many other bars and grills. With their usual steakhouse sized steaks and steakhouse prices, I don't know how this place expected to compete with the portion sizes of local restaurant and fill the bellies of big hawaiians locals. Just like any chain restaurants, the taste is pretty good, and the inside is very well decorated. The server and busser, however, did not seem so delighted to see us, and had that straight faces on. I was comparing out server with the one next table had, who was smiling and laughing the whole time when talking to customers. I don't think I can say much, it's outback. You know what to expect.
(3)
Lina P.
Yeah, I'd rather support local, but its a scary world out there! So many horrible places on Alii Drive that for once in my life I'd rather trust a corporate restaurant. I come here more often then I'd like to admit, why? Because they are consistent! Service is always friendly although not alway fast, but I'll take friendliness any day! Come for Happy Hour, get a tall glass of beer, the Ahi Sashimi, and one other item off the Happy Hour menu! Its worth it! They open later in the day, I think its 4:30.
(4)
Erynn T.
Came here for the 1st time for dinner today. Semi-busy but not noisy. we were seated quickly and our waitress Alana was really good, super friendly and attentive. Our food came really fast too! We got the flatbread w/ chicken, artichoke, spinach appetizer. It was good, but it really wasn't "flatbread" it was a crispy fried tortilla. I had a strawberry lemonade too, which was good. A bit syrupy/sweet but still refreshing and thirst-quenching. The bf had prime rib & they were willing to add more ounces so he got 32 oz (they charge $1 per additional ounce). This was nice because when we went to Outback on Oahu, they wouldn't do larger cuts than the 16 oz (and yes, he ate it all :P). For my entree I got the woodfire grilled chicken salad. I wouldn't say it was the nicest presentation -- everything looked just thrown together and not really mixed. Big portion though. There was supposed to be green apple and walnuts with mixed greens, but majority of the salad was won bok cabbage with a little romaine. I only had about 5 pieces of apple and they were buried under the salad rather than mixed in. But the vinaigrette dressing was tasty. The chicken was alright. Just wish there was more green apples & variety of lettuce though. Overall the flavor was good but it's not something I'd order again. Overall I enjoyed eating here, the service was good and I would come back again but order something else.
(4)
Jim V.
Massive portions. Ribs are nicely prepared, burger was huge and delicious. Service was excellent, no issues whatsoever. Priced accordingly and didn't feel ripped off like some other restaurants in the tourist locations. Skip the fries and order a Baked potatoes! They are excellent!
(4)
Kaneohe G.
food was excellent, service was good, great view!
(5)
Nancy Z.
We were fans of this chain when it hit the west coast many years ago. After moving to the Big Island, Outback found our piece of the world. We would often stop on the way to or from the airport for a nice dinner. I like their food but for the price (which is a bit high), I'd rather give my dollars to a 'local' business whose food is just as good if not better. The food at Outback is just not that special. The wine is not that good given the high price (not that unusual in town). The rub for us is that every time....I mean every single time....we've eaten there, they don't give us our full change. Now I've been places where they do this, but the change is always in your favor. Not at Outback. If you're due $10.50 in change, they give you $10. My husband pitches a fit and generally won't leave a tip. The waitress actually told my husband they keep the change because "everyone leaves the change as part of the tip." The last time we were there, we spoke with the manager to find out if this was Outback's 'policy'. The manager assured us it was not. For those of you visiting, don't waste your time eating food you can get anytime at home. I suggest you try the places that feature fresh, local food. As for us, we've given up on this place.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
J B.
We went here for my birthday dinner, although we did not tell them it was my birthday. Regardless, that fact should not have had an impact on the service (or lack of) that we received. The waitress did not bring us any bread the entire time we were there. It took her 20 minutes to get us 2 glasses of water. The food was ok as usual, but the slowness of the waitress really gave a bad impression. At the end, we handed her our credit card and waited nearly 25 minutes for her to finish "chatting" with the table next to us, and then discovered she hadn't even swiped the card yet! We were staring at her while she was chatting and she just ignored us completely. Horrible, horrible service.
(1)RZ H.
Surprisingly, the happy hour in the bar here is nice and for locals it is a great change of pace if you are craving a bit of the mainland. The food is consistently good and prices seem to be the same as what you would pay on the mainland too.
(4)M S.
It was late. We couldn't get in where we wanted to go. Outback was a 'known' quantity and didn't disappoint: good (prime rib) to very good (lobster) entrees, served with speed and gusto. Not cheap, but not outrageous either. In the same circumstances, we'd happily go again.
(3)Jaimie W.
Our recent dinner at Outback was disappointing for many reasons. The Calamari appetizer was small with poorly-breaded so-so tasting squid, The Caesar salad with shrimp was too salty, and the dressing was less tasty than most any supermarket brand Caesar dressing. Finally, the ribs were dry with very mediocre flavor. The only positive aspect of our visit was our waitress who was nice and competent.
(1)Barry Z.
First of all I don't usually like chains especially when I am on da Big Island because there is such great restaurants that source locally. Took the wife here for a nice meal. We sat outside and had the prime rib and a nice bottle of wine. Kinda funny as I had a cocktail with the appetizer and then ordered wine to go with dinner. They would not open the wine until I had finished the cocktail due to liquor laws in Hawaii. We sat outside and everything was spot on!
(4)Eric H.
Be warned, they do not honor mainland pricing or the specials presented on TV/radio
(1)Shawnee G.
I was craving steak and figured this would be the best place to go. First we were seated outside and it was a very windy night, this was after a 30+ minute wait at 7ish. $20 for their special cut which was tough and chewy and add $10 for FOUR over cooked, rubber scallops. Because we were seated outside, we barely saw our server. After we received our food, we waited awhile to request for some steak sauce and our food just sat there and got cold. Husband paid by card and the server brought back the receipt without the card. Absent minded, we left without realizing it and had to go out of our way the next day to get it. What a total rip off, we will never return here. I'd rather spend this kind of money at a local place where the food will most likely be better, not to mention the service.
(2)Jamie P.
My wife and I ate here because we had been given a gift card for our honeymoon. The food was prepared perfect and the service was excellent. My wife and I expect good service, and this is what we got. We knew from experiences at home that Outback's food is very tasty and consistent, it did not disappoint. The ahi tuna was delicious, per usual, as was the prime rib. She ordered the filet and lobster and they were both great. They even threw in a free dessert as a honeymoon gift. There were absolutely no complaints.
(5)Ramona P.
Ok, so Its a chain, that I understand but we really needed hot food coming out into a clean dining room. We really didn;t get enough hot food that week! That was our only criteria that evening. Plus we wanted happy hour and 1/2 price appetizers. Outback was the answer! We get there around 5pm, and almost ALL the booths in the bar area were taken, all except one, the one we got! We start getting our drink on, we start getting our eat on, then our 2 friends join us, and were ALL GETTING OUR GROOVE ON! Yeah Outback! I wou ld have never considered you at home, but ya sure did a good job pleasing us on vacation. I liked the Ahi tuna, coconut shrimp, and the frozen drinkie I had. I also enjoyed the BIG comfy booth too! All this for seventy five dollars! Thanks again Outback! Love ya!
(4)Jessica H.
Food was good, portions were somewhat small. The restaurant was really clean, and the waiters were nice.
(4)Johnny E.
We always eat here from time to time when running errands in Kona. Food is always great and consistent and probably the only place here that reminds us on being back in the Mainland (which we miss dearly). Funny how it being "Outback Steakhouse". Service is good and the area that it is at is very scenic as it is close to the ocean. For dessert they have a new chocolate brownie waffle which is probably the best dessert they have made. We would even go back there just for that dessert.
(4)Jillian P.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Outback Steakhouse! I would've given the Kailua-Kona location 5 stars, BUT I have received bad service at this place before. At times the service can be slowww. I have also received rude servers - which is always a bad thing. HOWEVER, for the most part, I've received good-great service. When it comes to the food - I have NO complaints. Everything I've ever eaten at Outback floats my boat. I love their finni dinni sauce, it's soooo good. :) I think that their ribs are amazing! I also love the Alice Springs Chicken as well as the Chicken on the Barbie. They have a no rules pasta which is SOOOO good as well. My friend LOVES the alice springs chicken quesadillas; it's an appetizer BUT could totally work as your dinner. Speaking of appetizers, their aussie chesse fries are TO DIE FOR. :)
(4)Randy B.
After disappointing meals at other restaurants, we wanted a place we could count on and Outback measured up. The service was great and the food delivered in a timely manner. The only complaint was that the teriyaki sauce on the teriyaki sirloin tasted a bit different than at home. It was still good, just a little different.
(4)Colleen F.
You can't beat filet mignon and lobster tail for $33. Pick any steak and you can add shrimp or lobster to the meal for a reasonable price. Service was fast and friendly and the food was great
(5)Tara H.
The food and service were good. You can't go wrong at Outback.
(4)Linda K.
I just ordered a carry out order as I'm eating alone out here on business. The server working the take away section was nice and courteous. When I got back to my hotel the food was hot and nicely packed with the sides separated. Food was exactly as I ordered it and tastier than I remember from the last time I ate at outback at a different location. A lot of time when you order take out they get your order wrong or forget the utensils etc.. But it seems like they take a lot of care in their take out business.
(4)R G.
Dining at Outback in Hawaii?? Really? YES!!! Especially if you need to eat gluten free like I do. We ate outside, which I highly recommend. Everything tastes better outside. We ordered the grilled shrimp as an appetizer. Super yummy. I ordered ribs, baked potato, and sauteed mushrooms. Can I just say these mushrooms were amazing? Sauteed in a beef broth and red wine. Awesome!! My husband ordered a steak with a lobster mushroom sauce. The sauce was an extra $5.00 and was a huge disappointment to my husband. He wished he would have ordered the sauteed mushrooms as well. I did share a few with him, but kept the majority for myself. There are some things a wife just cannot share!! Service was super friendly and expedient. Overall, worth a trip there!
(4)Ticia G.
I hate to give a chain 4 stars but this restaurant is located in the middle of Kona and has a lovely deck we dined on. The server was Uber friendly and helpful, the food was prepared perfectly and was delicious. The prices were much higher than home but I suspect that is par for the course.
(4)Yves R.
I came back despite swearing to myself I would never do so, but I was hungry and didn't have much choice. Well, this dinner experience was better than last year, but the food is still so so. I ordered the prime rib with sides of baked potato and Cesar salad. The best was the salad, second the baked potato, and last the prime rib! (Yeah, not the other way around). The beef was medium rare as I requested it, relatively flavorful, but disturbingly chewy. I really think that the size of this company has gotten the best of them and that they are now just another average diner restaurant. At least we know what we're getting, right?
(2)C. K.
I am not really sure if this place belongs in Kona, but it's there along with many other bars and grills. With their usual steakhouse sized steaks and steakhouse prices, I don't know how this place expected to compete with the portion sizes of local restaurant and fill the bellies of big hawaiians locals. Just like any chain restaurants, the taste is pretty good, and the inside is very well decorated. The server and busser, however, did not seem so delighted to see us, and had that straight faces on. I was comparing out server with the one next table had, who was smiling and laughing the whole time when talking to customers. I don't think I can say much, it's outback. You know what to expect.
(3)Lina P.
Yeah, I'd rather support local, but its a scary world out there! So many horrible places on Alii Drive that for once in my life I'd rather trust a corporate restaurant. I come here more often then I'd like to admit, why? Because they are consistent! Service is always friendly although not alway fast, but I'll take friendliness any day! Come for Happy Hour, get a tall glass of beer, the Ahi Sashimi, and one other item off the Happy Hour menu! Its worth it! They open later in the day, I think its 4:30.
(4)Erynn T.
Came here for the 1st time for dinner today. Semi-busy but not noisy. we were seated quickly and our waitress Alana was really good, super friendly and attentive. Our food came really fast too! We got the flatbread w/ chicken, artichoke, spinach appetizer. It was good, but it really wasn't "flatbread" it was a crispy fried tortilla. I had a strawberry lemonade too, which was good. A bit syrupy/sweet but still refreshing and thirst-quenching. The bf had prime rib & they were willing to add more ounces so he got 32 oz (they charge $1 per additional ounce). This was nice because when we went to Outback on Oahu, they wouldn't do larger cuts than the 16 oz (and yes, he ate it all :P). For my entree I got the woodfire grilled chicken salad. I wouldn't say it was the nicest presentation -- everything looked just thrown together and not really mixed. Big portion though. There was supposed to be green apple and walnuts with mixed greens, but majority of the salad was won bok cabbage with a little romaine. I only had about 5 pieces of apple and they were buried under the salad rather than mixed in. But the vinaigrette dressing was tasty. The chicken was alright. Just wish there was more green apples & variety of lettuce though. Overall the flavor was good but it's not something I'd order again. Overall I enjoyed eating here, the service was good and I would come back again but order something else.
(4)Cam M.
Came to have lobster with the family. We love the steamed lobster here. Unfortunately the food took forever to come and when it did the lobsters were cold and tough, not like how they usually are. How ever Zachary our server and the manager where very helpful and fixed our order and comped a couple of our apps. Once fixed the food tasted great. Their app combo is good and so are their veggies, like the asparagus. Also recommend their French onion soup. The service has been horrible here before but Zachary was great.
(4)Wayne I.
Solid corporate company with the same food as the mainland although at slightly higher prices here in Hawaii. Service was good which is hard to come by in hawaii...bartenders were excellent. Offering recommendations and quick at refills. The $4 bar menu is what to look at if your here.
(4)John L.
Went and had dinner at the kona location. Got seated quickly our server Stephen was great, attentive. Found the food to be just mediocre. The problem was when we sat down outside I was instantly stuck to the arms of the chair so just for grins I took my napkin and wiped the chair arm in one spot and it was horribly dirty. I think a place that offers food that is eaten by hand, ribs burgers and such should not have such disgusting places to sit. I don't see myself going back any time soon.
(2)Ruben G.
Server Desmond was very nice, attentive, a bit of a smart- ass at the end about a price difference of the dish they brought to me in error, I was gracious enough to take the wrong item, . So I will leave him the difference on the table for the remark. Mahalo
(3)Elaine C.
Went to outback for the first time in 4 years. Gosh they have changed. Our server was Allison, she was wonderful great personality . That was the best part of dinner. I ordered mahi with a lobster/mushroom sauce. The fish tasted old and dry. I took two bites and didn't eat any more. My hubby had the rack of lamb. Another disappointment. The lamb almost tastes like old mutton. He asked for asparagus and he received 5 pieces of skinny spears that were tough and woodsy. Couldn't eat that either. But our server immediately took off quite a bit of the total.
(3)Chelsea L.
Came in on an extremely busy Friday night 10 minutes before closing and had terrific service from a kind mustached gentleman Josh D. Ordered multiple rounds of beers alongside apps, entrees, and dessert. The food was steaming hot/fresh and the service was expedient. Would recommend this restaurant to Kona residents and visitors alike. Thanks!
(5)Russell S.
The first thing the waiter told us... Was that there were plenty of medium and well-cooked steak left in the kitchen. .... ... WTF ... .... What does this even mean? Aren't steaks cooked to order? This immediately let me know there was no way I would be ordering a steak... At a steakhouse. I ended up ordering the chicken strips, which were dry and frozen flavored. The food here was insulting, especially for the price. Absolute trash. My friends wanted to go here for the blooming onion...which was sadly the tastiest item our party of 7 had.
(1)PiLo G.
Yesterday evening was really great, we sat outside on the patio we were able to see the sunset and the water. Warm atmosphere and our waiter Trevor helped us feel at home. All the food was really good. The steak and lobster tails absolutely loved, the Cajun shrimp skewers were my favorite- cooked just right; super delicious sauce and perfect portion size. I was also pleasantly surprised with a new item "Steak Mac n cheese" it was awesome !!! Everyone seemed to work together nicely; our food came out super fast and drinks came quick. Trevor really gave outstanding service; I didn't even realize the restaurant was at full capacity till we got up to leave. Of all the Outback locations I've been to this is by far my favorite!
(4)Valerie M.
We live here in Kona and Outback used to be one of our favorite places to go to meet friends for drinks and appetizers, especially at happy hour. Now, no more happy hour drinks and no half-price appetizers :( Their steaks were always sub par. Huggos on the Rocks here we come :)
(1)Windi G.
I say that our outback here in kona is one of our best restaurants in town!!! There always consistent and the service is always GREAT!! The atmosphere is very kid friendly and very welcoming!!!
(5)Fern K.
Host service was excellent, whereas, table service was mediocre at best & the food was as served in every other Outback Restaurant in the world! Sorry but it was nothing really special on a special day like Father's Day!
(3)Dustyn I.
Went there earlier tonight. Food was good...had the ribeye with Caesar salad and broccoli. The special desert was really good! Think it was a salted caramel cookie. Not sure why but something was off...can't really put my finger on it but just don't think it was 5 star worthy...but definitely still good and well worth a 4 star rating.
(4)Jose T.
Food is decent if you send it back to get it recooked , service is awful from both the waitstaff and at the bar . They accept Amex which is a plus .
(1)Amber H.
I love the fact that I can still get a swiss cheese mushroom burger even though it is not on the menu... the drinks are good too.
(5)Tom A.
It is Outback Food was good as usual. Our waitress was great. It is priced a little higher than most Outbacks but you are in Hawaii.
(4)Richard F.
Food was delicious! Steaks were juicy and cooked to order. Food came at a timely manner and our waiter, although not very energized was curtious, accommodating, kept drinks full and checked on us periodically. He was a very good server. I don't expect a ton of energy at the end of the night with a packed house on mother's day. Only reason it's not 5 stars is I had reservations but was seated 15 min after (not to bad considering the traffic) but also the seating was very cramped by the wall. Other than that food was great and the server was really good. Happy mother's day!
(4)Brandi T.
Great service and it was fast! Can't believe how good they were for it being a chain restaurant. Food was really good and the people are very helpful on how to order your steak. This place so far has been better then the fancy restaurants in the area!
(4)Marleen M.
The food and service is usually up to par at this Outback. However, last night they dropped a few stars. First, our waiter forgot to put in our appetizer order and we didn't realize it until we were served our entrees. We opted to skip it and just dig in to our meals. My son had the Outback special steak with a side of crab legs. The side of crab was $14.99, and such a disappointment. The crab meat was dry and cold. Our waiter did bring us ONE bowl of ice cream to share since he forgot our appetizer....and was apologetic....I didn't have the heart to tell him the crab legs sucked. Side note: I've had the crab legs here before and they were good...not great...but ok. Guess they were having an off night.
(3)Megan F.
Though I try to frequent local eateries when traveling, sometimes you just need a hunk of red meat and a salad from a place you can count on. Outback in Kona delivered & at a price that was almost identical to what I pay at home. I even had my only good glass of iced tea in Kona at this restaurant. Try to get a table on the patio; there's a nice ocean view and a wonderful island breeze.
(4)Mary J.
Even though the company offers a gluten free menu, a certain waiter is not gluten free friendly. Celiac is a disease and yes, Virginia, people really are allergic to gluten. Who made you a doctor instead of a waiter? Celiacs and those that eat gluten free, go elsewhere.
(1)Summer S.
The burgers were very small and not very tasty, the kitchen was very backed up so it took about 30 minutes to get our food, which was not very good. Even the Bloomin onion seemed overly greasy and a bit overcooked. There are much better places to go for the same price or less on Ali'i drive
(1)Jaimie W.
Our recent dinner at Outback was disappointing for many reasons. The Calamari appetizer was small with poorly-breaded so-so tasting squid, The Caesar salad with shrimp was too salty, and the dressing was less tasty than most any supermarket brand Caesar dressing. Finally, the ribs were dry with very mediocre flavor. The only positive aspect of our visit was our waitress who was nice and competent.
(1)Barry Z.
First of all I don't usually like chains especially when I am on da Big Island because there is such great restaurants that source locally. Took the wife here for a nice meal. We sat outside and had the prime rib and a nice bottle of wine. Kinda funny as I had a cocktail with the appetizer and then ordered wine to go with dinner. They would not open the wine until I had finished the cocktail due to liquor laws in Hawaii. We sat outside and everything was spot on!
(4)Eric H.
Be warned, they do not honor mainland pricing or the specials presented on TV/radio
(1)Shawnee G.
I was craving steak and figured this would be the best place to go. First we were seated outside and it was a very windy night, this was after a 30+ minute wait at 7ish. $20 for their special cut which was tough and chewy and add $10 for FOUR over cooked, rubber scallops. Because we were seated outside, we barely saw our server. After we received our food, we waited awhile to request for some steak sauce and our food just sat there and got cold. Husband paid by card and the server brought back the receipt without the card. Absent minded, we left without realizing it and had to go out of our way the next day to get it. What a total rip off, we will never return here. I'd rather spend this kind of money at a local place where the food will most likely be better, not to mention the service.
(2)Jamie P.
My wife and I ate here because we had been given a gift card for our honeymoon. The food was prepared perfect and the service was excellent. My wife and I expect good service, and this is what we got. We knew from experiences at home that Outback's food is very tasty and consistent, it did not disappoint. The ahi tuna was delicious, per usual, as was the prime rib. She ordered the filet and lobster and they were both great. They even threw in a free dessert as a honeymoon gift. There were absolutely no complaints.
(5)Ramona P.
Ok, so Its a chain, that I understand but we really needed hot food coming out into a clean dining room. We really didn;t get enough hot food that week! That was our only criteria that evening. Plus we wanted happy hour and 1/2 price appetizers. Outback was the answer! We get there around 5pm, and almost ALL the booths in the bar area were taken, all except one, the one we got! We start getting our drink on, we start getting our eat on, then our 2 friends join us, and were ALL GETTING OUR GROOVE ON! Yeah Outback! I wou ld have never considered you at home, but ya sure did a good job pleasing us on vacation. I liked the Ahi tuna, coconut shrimp, and the frozen drinkie I had. I also enjoyed the BIG comfy booth too! All this for seventy five dollars! Thanks again Outback! Love ya!
(4)Jessica H.
Food was good, portions were somewhat small. The restaurant was really clean, and the waiters were nice.
(4)Johnny E.
We always eat here from time to time when running errands in Kona. Food is always great and consistent and probably the only place here that reminds us on being back in the Mainland (which we miss dearly). Funny how it being "Outback Steakhouse". Service is good and the area that it is at is very scenic as it is close to the ocean. For dessert they have a new chocolate brownie waffle which is probably the best dessert they have made. We would even go back there just for that dessert.
(4)Jillian P.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Outback Steakhouse! I would've given the Kailua-Kona location 5 stars, BUT I have received bad service at this place before. At times the service can be slowww. I have also received rude servers - which is always a bad thing. HOWEVER, for the most part, I've received good-great service. When it comes to the food - I have NO complaints. Everything I've ever eaten at Outback floats my boat. I love their finni dinni sauce, it's soooo good. :) I think that their ribs are amazing! I also love the Alice Springs Chicken as well as the Chicken on the Barbie. They have a no rules pasta which is SOOOO good as well. My friend LOVES the alice springs chicken quesadillas; it's an appetizer BUT could totally work as your dinner. Speaking of appetizers, their aussie chesse fries are TO DIE FOR. :)
(4)Randy B.
After disappointing meals at other restaurants, we wanted a place we could count on and Outback measured up. The service was great and the food delivered in a timely manner. The only complaint was that the teriyaki sauce on the teriyaki sirloin tasted a bit different than at home. It was still good, just a little different.
(4)Colleen F.
You can't beat filet mignon and lobster tail for $33. Pick any steak and you can add shrimp or lobster to the meal for a reasonable price. Service was fast and friendly and the food was great
(5)Tara H.
The food and service were good. You can't go wrong at Outback.
(4)Linda K.
I just ordered a carry out order as I'm eating alone out here on business. The server working the take away section was nice and courteous. When I got back to my hotel the food was hot and nicely packed with the sides separated. Food was exactly as I ordered it and tastier than I remember from the last time I ate at outback at a different location. A lot of time when you order take out they get your order wrong or forget the utensils etc.. But it seems like they take a lot of care in their take out business.
(4)R G.
Dining at Outback in Hawaii?? Really? YES!!! Especially if you need to eat gluten free like I do. We ate outside, which I highly recommend. Everything tastes better outside. We ordered the grilled shrimp as an appetizer. Super yummy. I ordered ribs, baked potato, and sauteed mushrooms. Can I just say these mushrooms were amazing? Sauteed in a beef broth and red wine. Awesome!! My husband ordered a steak with a lobster mushroom sauce. The sauce was an extra $5.00 and was a huge disappointment to my husband. He wished he would have ordered the sauteed mushrooms as well. I did share a few with him, but kept the majority for myself. There are some things a wife just cannot share!! Service was super friendly and expedient. Overall, worth a trip there!
(4)Ticia G.
I hate to give a chain 4 stars but this restaurant is located in the middle of Kona and has a lovely deck we dined on. The server was Uber friendly and helpful, the food was prepared perfectly and was delicious. The prices were much higher than home but I suspect that is par for the course.
(4)J B.
We went here for my birthday dinner, although we did not tell them it was my birthday. Regardless, that fact should not have had an impact on the service (or lack of) that we received. The waitress did not bring us any bread the entire time we were there. It took her 20 minutes to get us 2 glasses of water. The food was ok as usual, but the slowness of the waitress really gave a bad impression. At the end, we handed her our credit card and waited nearly 25 minutes for her to finish "chatting" with the table next to us, and then discovered she hadn't even swiped the card yet! We were staring at her while she was chatting and she just ignored us completely. Horrible, horrible service.
(1)RZ H.
Surprisingly, the happy hour in the bar here is nice and for locals it is a great change of pace if you are craving a bit of the mainland. The food is consistently good and prices seem to be the same as what you would pay on the mainland too.
(4)M S.
It was late. We couldn't get in where we wanted to go. Outback was a 'known' quantity and didn't disappoint: good (prime rib) to very good (lobster) entrees, served with speed and gusto. Not cheap, but not outrageous either. In the same circumstances, we'd happily go again.
(3)Barry Z.
First of all I don't usually like chains especially when I am on da Big Island because there is such great restaurants that source locally. Took the wife here for a nice meal. We sat outside and had the prime rib and a nice bottle of wine. Kinda funny as I had a cocktail with the appetizer and then ordered wine to go with dinner. They would not open the wine until I had finished the cocktail due to liquor laws in Hawaii. We sat outside and everything was spot on!
(4)Eric H.
Be warned, they do not honor mainland pricing or the specials presented on TV/radio
(1)Erynn T.
Came here for the 1st time for dinner today. Semi-busy but not noisy. we were seated quickly and our waitress Alana was really good, super friendly and attentive. Our food came really fast too! We got the flatbread w/ chicken, artichoke, spinach appetizer. It was good, but it really wasn't "flatbread" it was a crispy fried tortilla. I had a strawberry lemonade too, which was good. A bit syrupy/sweet but still refreshing and thirst-quenching. The bf had prime rib & they were willing to add more ounces so he got 32 oz (they charge $1 per additional ounce). This was nice because when we went to Outback on Oahu, they wouldn't do larger cuts than the 16 oz (and yes, he ate it all :P). For my entree I got the woodfire grilled chicken salad. I wouldn't say it was the nicest presentation -- everything looked just thrown together and not really mixed. Big portion though. There was supposed to be green apple and walnuts with mixed greens, but majority of the salad was won bok cabbage with a little romaine. I only had about 5 pieces of apple and they were buried under the salad rather than mixed in. But the vinaigrette dressing was tasty. The chicken was alright. Just wish there was more green apples & variety of lettuce though. Overall the flavor was good but it's not something I'd order again. Overall I enjoyed eating here, the service was good and I would come back again but order something else.
(4)Jim V.
Massive portions. Ribs are nicely prepared, burger was huge and delicious. Service was excellent, no issues whatsoever. Priced accordingly and didn't feel ripped off like some other restaurants in the tourist locations. Skip the fries and order a Baked potatoes! They are excellent!
(4)Kaneohe G.
food was excellent, service was good, great view!
(5)Nancy Z.
We were fans of this chain when it hit the west coast many years ago. After moving to the Big Island, Outback found our piece of the world. We would often stop on the way to or from the airport for a nice dinner. I like their food but for the price (which is a bit high), I'd rather give my dollars to a 'local' business whose food is just as good if not better. The food at Outback is just not that special. The wine is not that good given the high price (not that unusual in town). The rub for us is that every time....I mean every single time....we've eaten there, they don't give us our full change. Now I've been places where they do this, but the change is always in your favor. Not at Outback. If you're due $10.50 in change, they give you $10. My husband pitches a fit and generally won't leave a tip. The waitress actually told my husband they keep the change because "everyone leaves the change as part of the tip." The last time we were there, we spoke with the manager to find out if this was Outback's 'policy'. The manager assured us it was not. For those of you visiting, don't waste your time eating food you can get anytime at home. I suggest you try the places that feature fresh, local food. As for us, we've given up on this place.
(1)Shawnee G.
I was craving steak and figured this would be the best place to go. First we were seated outside and it was a very windy night, this was after a 30+ minute wait at 7ish. $20 for their special cut which was tough and chewy and add $10 for FOUR over cooked, rubber scallops. Because we were seated outside, we barely saw our server. After we received our food, we waited awhile to request for some steak sauce and our food just sat there and got cold. Husband paid by card and the server brought back the receipt without the card. Absent minded, we left without realizing it and had to go out of our way the next day to get it. What a total rip off, we will never return here. I'd rather spend this kind of money at a local place where the food will most likely be better, not to mention the service.
(2)Jamie P.
My wife and I ate here because we had been given a gift card for our honeymoon. The food was prepared perfect and the service was excellent. My wife and I expect good service, and this is what we got. We knew from experiences at home that Outback's food is very tasty and consistent, it did not disappoint. The ahi tuna was delicious, per usual, as was the prime rib. She ordered the filet and lobster and they were both great. They even threw in a free dessert as a honeymoon gift. There were absolutely no complaints.
(5)Ramona P.
Ok, so Its a chain, that I understand but we really needed hot food coming out into a clean dining room. We really didn;t get enough hot food that week! That was our only criteria that evening. Plus we wanted happy hour and 1/2 price appetizers. Outback was the answer! We get there around 5pm, and almost ALL the booths in the bar area were taken, all except one, the one we got! We start getting our drink on, we start getting our eat on, then our 2 friends join us, and were ALL GETTING OUR GROOVE ON! Yeah Outback! I wou ld have never considered you at home, but ya sure did a good job pleasing us on vacation. I liked the Ahi tuna, coconut shrimp, and the frozen drinkie I had. I also enjoyed the BIG comfy booth too! All this for seventy five dollars! Thanks again Outback! Love ya!
(4)Jessica H.
Food was good, portions were somewhat small. The restaurant was really clean, and the waiters were nice.
(4)Johnny E.
We always eat here from time to time when running errands in Kona. Food is always great and consistent and probably the only place here that reminds us on being back in the Mainland (which we miss dearly). Funny how it being "Outback Steakhouse". Service is good and the area that it is at is very scenic as it is close to the ocean. For dessert they have a new chocolate brownie waffle which is probably the best dessert they have made. We would even go back there just for that dessert.
(4)Jillian P.
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Outback Steakhouse! I would've given the Kailua-Kona location 5 stars, BUT I have received bad service at this place before. At times the service can be slowww. I have also received rude servers - which is always a bad thing. HOWEVER, for the most part, I've received good-great service. When it comes to the food - I have NO complaints. Everything I've ever eaten at Outback floats my boat. I love their finni dinni sauce, it's soooo good. :) I think that their ribs are amazing! I also love the Alice Springs Chicken as well as the Chicken on the Barbie. They have a no rules pasta which is SOOOO good as well. My friend LOVES the alice springs chicken quesadillas; it's an appetizer BUT could totally work as your dinner. Speaking of appetizers, their aussie chesse fries are TO DIE FOR. :)
(4)Randy B.
After disappointing meals at other restaurants, we wanted a place we could count on and Outback measured up. The service was great and the food delivered in a timely manner. The only complaint was that the teriyaki sauce on the teriyaki sirloin tasted a bit different than at home. It was still good, just a little different.
(4)Colleen F.
You can't beat filet mignon and lobster tail for $33. Pick any steak and you can add shrimp or lobster to the meal for a reasonable price. Service was fast and friendly and the food was great
(5)Tara H.
The food and service were good. You can't go wrong at Outback.
(4)Linda K.
I just ordered a carry out order as I'm eating alone out here on business. The server working the take away section was nice and courteous. When I got back to my hotel the food was hot and nicely packed with the sides separated. Food was exactly as I ordered it and tastier than I remember from the last time I ate at outback at a different location. A lot of time when you order take out they get your order wrong or forget the utensils etc.. But it seems like they take a lot of care in their take out business.
(4)R G.
Dining at Outback in Hawaii?? Really? YES!!! Especially if you need to eat gluten free like I do. We ate outside, which I highly recommend. Everything tastes better outside. We ordered the grilled shrimp as an appetizer. Super yummy. I ordered ribs, baked potato, and sauteed mushrooms. Can I just say these mushrooms were amazing? Sauteed in a beef broth and red wine. Awesome!! My husband ordered a steak with a lobster mushroom sauce. The sauce was an extra $5.00 and was a huge disappointment to my husband. He wished he would have ordered the sauteed mushrooms as well. I did share a few with him, but kept the majority for myself. There are some things a wife just cannot share!! Service was super friendly and expedient. Overall, worth a trip there!
(4)Ticia G.
I hate to give a chain 4 stars but this restaurant is located in the middle of Kona and has a lovely deck we dined on. The server was Uber friendly and helpful, the food was prepared perfectly and was delicious. The prices were much higher than home but I suspect that is par for the course.
(4)J B.
We went here for my birthday dinner, although we did not tell them it was my birthday. Regardless, that fact should not have had an impact on the service (or lack of) that we received. The waitress did not bring us any bread the entire time we were there. It took her 20 minutes to get us 2 glasses of water. The food was ok as usual, but the slowness of the waitress really gave a bad impression. At the end, we handed her our credit card and waited nearly 25 minutes for her to finish "chatting" with the table next to us, and then discovered she hadn't even swiped the card yet! We were staring at her while she was chatting and she just ignored us completely. Horrible, horrible service.
(1)RZ H.
Surprisingly, the happy hour in the bar here is nice and for locals it is a great change of pace if you are craving a bit of the mainland. The food is consistently good and prices seem to be the same as what you would pay on the mainland too.
(4)M S.
It was late. We couldn't get in where we wanted to go. Outback was a 'known' quantity and didn't disappoint: good (prime rib) to very good (lobster) entrees, served with speed and gusto. Not cheap, but not outrageous either. In the same circumstances, we'd happily go again.
(3)Jen P.
Our ahi tuna came out frozen. The waitress took it to the kitchen and when she returned her comment was, "I held it under the heat lamp for a bit. I don't want to touch it so let me know if it's okay." Wow, customer service at it's best.
(2)LA W.
I ordered the BBQ chicken salad and was glad I used a gift certificate because it was not worth $17! There were no tortilla strips and if they added the bbq sauce to the dressing, it was hard to tell. There was nothing barbequed about this salad. There were about 12 pieces of "roasted" corn. I'm lucky if there was a 1/4 of a chicken breast. Trader Joe's does a better BBQ chicken salad for 1/3 the cost of this bland, sorry salad. Outback used to be awesome back in the day but that was before my hair turned grey. Their steaks are small, tough, and full of gristle. I don't know where they find such small bake potatoes. I still have $8 on my gift card and will send it to a friend who will use it at the bar. If it weren't for the gift, I would never have gone. I won't return.
(1)Chris W.
Went here because it was familiar to us the staff was very easily confused we noticed not to be extremely overbusy the hostesses were very uncoordinated but after 20 minutes when we did get seated the waiter we had was great the food was good , my steak was cooked just right,, but we did hear several tables around us complaining. And sending dishes back so maybe we just got lucky.
(4)Lance O.
I know it is big chain restaurant, trust me, I have a hard time giving a chain, such a high score, but they do a fantastic job at it. When you have a child that orders "Double Broccoli" over french fries - you need to go back. The food is consistently the same - excellent, the service is fantastic, in fact if you go, ask for "Lehua's" area, she always remembers us, right there with a tall Fosters before we have to ask, and overall a great waitress. I can't forget Matt, the prevarior of the restaurant, usually walks around and checks on everybody, runs a good crew, and is just a good man. Please feel to use our name (Lance,Kimi, Dean) if you get Lehua as your server and tell her "I said to treat you like family". Location, also fantastic, the kids play in the sand volleyball pit whey we wait, close to shops, indoor and outdoor seating - sunsets are awesome from outisde seating
(5)Joe G.
Typical Outback fare, but sit outside and view the ocean! The service was spectacular!
(4)Kalani T.
I'm too full to write a story about this place. Take my word...it's good and it's worth it! I going sleep now...Aloha's :)
(5)Joshua Lee B.
This is a GOOD spot for a meal. I wish they had 3.5 stars because it's almost 4 stars but not quite. We had great service, friendly, great for my kids. Good anticipation for the meal. I was very happy. QUINN, the bartender!! Whew!! Man can she pour a great drink! Between her and Sara they kept the costumers content!!! We had a wonderful experience. Not 5 star cuisine, but it was very decent. For the price and atmosphere, well done. We had Mac & cheese for kids with side of ribs. Wife had filet w/ lobster topping. I had blue cheese crusted filet, with bacon wrapped shrimp. They are small , but tasty. We ordered the Alice springs chicken appetizer cassadia. It was great, along with the blackened ahi and blooming onion. Onion is a classic, I wasn't to fond of it, but it is a novel idea. Ahi was good! Little spicy with so much pepper, but great quality on fish. Both filets were cooked perfectly. Rare!!! Grilled asparagus, with loaded baked potatoes... Had to ask for extra bacon/sour cream, but still yummy!!! Wish we had room for dessert!!! Kids stuffed, wife content, and myself filled to the brim!!!! Will be having pie for dessert at home!!!! :) Very satisfied, a well worth meal!!
(3)Anela U.
This location is consistently inconsistent. Went there about a year ago & left after 30 minutes because we never got greeted at our table. Decided to try again last night for an early Father's Day dinner. We see ads on TV all the time about specials & promotions. Be advised, they don't offer them here. The bartender even stated, "We don't have everything you see on TV. It's mostly on the mainland." We asked the bartender about any current specials or pre-fixe menus to which she said, "We have them on the inserts of our menu but I don't have that page right now." She walked away & never made an attempt to find a "full" menu. We ended up ordering a salad & chicken wings & left. What great Father's Day meal. If you're in Hawaii, eat local & stay away from this chain restaurant.
(1)Steve K.
My wife and I decided to actually have dinner instead of takeout here on Monday, so this will be a bit different from my takeout reviews. First off, we prefer to sit outside, on the ocean side; you have a bit of ocean view, and it is much quieter than inside. Some may prefer inside with a booth, but we enjoy the ambience. So we sat outside, and had a leisurely beer; glad to have a local beer on tap, Firerock. I ordered prime rib, rare, a baked potato and a salad, while my wife stuck with her favorite filet. We were tempted by a new set of sirloins that were only $18, but stayed with what we knew we liked. My wife did order the Marsala sauce as an extra, since it had been on one of the $18 sirloins, and it was a delicious addition. Our server Scott was attentive, apologetic when there were no bread plates as they were all in the wash, hurried out with them when they were available. Overall we really enjoyed the meal and the service, and the bill was a not unreasonable $74 for the two of us. We may have to rethink this whole takeout thing and stick with Thai and Chinese for takeout for a while as we really enjoyed ourselves. If you're on a budget they also have amazing burgers, as I think I noted in my review of takeout. It's nice to have this option available in town! Worth noting that both tables near by were local residents as well.
(4)Sarah J.
It's so hot out that seeking refuge in Outback for lunch was a great choice. It was like cave dwelling but with food service ! We had a great meal ... 2 bloomin onion burgers they were about 5 inches tall and yummy... my bloody mary came with a whole piece of bacon in it, that was a first for me it was served in a mason jar... very very good ! We love the bleu cheese wedge salad too ! Our server Cammy was very friendly and looked after our every need ... 5 stars for her.. My only gripe is that they are only open for lunch on weekends. I think they would be surprised how many of us would become regulars if they would open for lunch on weekdays ? Especially during these dog-days of summer !
(4)Yasmin V.
What happens when the power goes out and all you have is salad, bread and wine on the table? At this Outback, the staff and manager made "lemonade". While the power never did go back on, our meals and wine were on the house AND we were given "tuck ways" to use on our next visit. Thank you for treating us right! We'll be back!
(4)Sheila D.
Best ribeye steak I had here on the Big Island :) the meat is tender and full of flavor... cooked exactly the way I like my steaks! :)
(5)Roger B.
Had an unbaked potato and a tough steak. I expect more at Outback. I hope this is the exception.
(1)Lisa L.
Just got seated after waiting 40 minutes. During this time watching "2" very unorganized hostess!! Both unfriendly, batting of the eyes, rolling of the eyes and a couple of the "F" words could be heard. Empty tables yet no one getting seated. Pagers are a joke when some are not written down, some being turned in and no clue who they belong to. One was EATING in the front trying to hide. While customers are hungry and irritated.. Servers are telling them they have empty tables but yet the move like snails to seat them. Get seated to be informed no prime rib or 8 oz steak available. Hope this meal gets better!!!
(1)Dean I.
Had a red meat urge, so we came here for Sunday dinner. Wait was only 20 minutes, pretty quick. The service here is consistently good and friendly. I really like the garlic mash, its always smooth. We also tried the cheesecake w/ chocolate drizzle this time. Yay, fluffy cheesecake! I don't like heavy cheesecake, so this was a nice surprise. This is a go to spot for great steak and great service.
(4)Lisa L L.
We would had sat outside but it was unusual windy,so we sat inside. What A disappointment, dark & dreary, my husband opened the shade a little, then the unhappy downer waitress ask him to close the shade, so back to dark& dreary. We where wanting happy and bright hawaii ambience. Our loss. The waitress was not very aloha attitude. The well drinks where mostly ice. The waitress forgot to bring several items we ask for. The food was just ok for the price. We will not go to the Kona Outback again. There are to many other happy aloha places to visit.
(2)Bill C.
My friend and I had a wonderful lunch here outside with the ocean view. I definitely recommend sitting outside! I had the 12oz Outback signature steak, which was pretty filling and had their fries. Fries were standard. I had my steak medium rare, but it looked pretty medium to me. Nonetheless, it was tasty. My friend had the 9oz. steak with mashed potatoes. Looked pretty small, but it was a large serving of mashed potatoes. Their wings were pretty amazing! Bill for the 2 of us seemed a bit pricey for lunch, but for a good steak lunch, it was worth it. Bill Tip: You HAVE to try their strawberry and peach sangria. TO DIE FOR! If you want to be a classy drunk in the afternoon after lunch, this is the drink for you.
(4)Jim V.
Massive portions. Ribs are nicely prepared, burger was huge and delicious. Service was excellent, no issues whatsoever. Priced accordingly and didn't feel ripped off like some other restaurants in the tourist locations. Skip the fries and order a Baked potatoes! They are excellent!
(4)Kaneohe G.
food was excellent, service was good, great view!
(5)Nancy Z.
We were fans of this chain when it hit the west coast many years ago. After moving to the Big Island, Outback found our piece of the world. We would often stop on the way to or from the airport for a nice dinner. I like their food but for the price (which is a bit high), I'd rather give my dollars to a 'local' business whose food is just as good if not better. The food at Outback is just not that special. The wine is not that good given the high price (not that unusual in town). The rub for us is that every time....I mean every single time....we've eaten there, they don't give us our full change. Now I've been places where they do this, but the change is always in your favor. Not at Outback. If you're due $10.50 in change, they give you $10. My husband pitches a fit and generally won't leave a tip. The waitress actually told my husband they keep the change because "everyone leaves the change as part of the tip." The last time we were there, we spoke with the manager to find out if this was Outback's 'policy'. The manager assured us it was not. For those of you visiting, don't waste your time eating food you can get anytime at home. I suggest you try the places that feature fresh, local food. As for us, we've given up on this place.
(1)Cary P.
My wife and I are generally a fan of Outback. I can say that I have never had a bad steak there. Over the past several years I have been dining there less frequently. This experience may be our last, my wife says she is done. Let me say first off that I really dislike the "Gimicky" menus and POS materials at the table. They are very difficult to negotiate and remind me of the bulky picture menus at Denny's, right along with an "ABC" "123" on how to order a steak. Give me a break. This is the direction that the company has been heading for several years now. Outback Used to be a "Steakhouse"! Now in the same category as an Applebee's or Chilii's, not saying these are bad places, however OSH used to be a cut above. So here's the beef! Our Server was efficient not overly friendly or interested or informed, certainly not interested just going thru the motions. Food came quickly, squaw bread was warm and tasted good, Wings were hot and tasty but a little greasy, Salads were OK yet continue to shrink they are really a mini salad now. They have another POS piece on the table extolling their great "daily" homemade Croutons. This is definitely BS! My wife ordered Mahi Mahi with veggies, I ordered the "Porterhouse" this used to be called the Melbourne (if you hunt thru pages & pages of the sizzlin good day mate combos & blokey be billibong sirloin saucy toppers) you can still find it. The Mahi was a joke, Frozen, pale, poorly prepared ( keep in mind we're in Hawaii ) the "vegetables" no kidding were those mini "snack carrots" and some pre cut broccoli florets which had gone brown on the ends either from age , mishandling or poor storage procedures. My steak was good but if a guy orders a $30 steak make him some fresh fries. My fries were so funky they reminded me of leftover fries reheated. Anyway we were in a bit of a rush (as we were on our way to our Son's football game, we had matching tshirts on with our son's visiting HS name on them, you'd think the server might have asked us about this...but as I stated earlier...un-interested) so we didn't really complain, plus I didn't go to OSH for fries. Since I am a seasoned FoodService professional I thought i would grab my server and give him a few pointers. So after we cashed out I found my server to just tell him "that if a guy orders a $30 steak bring him fresh fries, don't serve your guests lousy looking veggies" Anyway end of story.... he got defensive and told me I had already had my chance to complain when he did his "obligatory un-interested" check back, I told him I wasn't complaining just trying to give him some pointers. "Whatever" seems to be the new attitude of the organization. My wife won't go back, I may sneak in for a porterhouse in a couple of years. Too bad since we are "after all on an island" Aloha.
(2)Lance W.
The food was pretty good but service wasn't super great. My wife ate half her salad with her fingers before we were able to flag down someone to get a fork. That being said my mango salmon was actually pretty good.
(3)Greg W.
The chicken Caesar was fantastic, but the shrimp Caesar was basically baron of shrimp and anything else... Mentioned it to the waitress Angel and she was extremely receptive and brought us a desert without saying anything. Service was way better than expected!
(5)Nick H.
Your same ole' Outback. I did notice that the prices were about $5-9 more per plate. We had the sirloin and shrimp.
(4)Jaime T.
The food is good and tasty. I gave them a three star because my server was really nice though he was not quite on it. I think there is either too much people here and not enough staff OR not enough staff and too much people. He missed some things we ordered but apologized and was nice but if he was on it then I would only give this place a four stars. Five stars would be the best of the best. Food was delicious though!!!!
(3)Samantha O.
It's always good but only once have I received pasta that was too spicy. I've just recently tried going here and it doesn't really ever disappoint especially our waiter named Desmond was so awesome! Very quick, very understanding and friendly. My family and I are very picky with our service and he met our needs ! Btw, their prime rib was to die for!
(4)Loyal B.
Food Quality: 10/10 The burger I had was fantastic. They had a nice selection of meats and appetizers. Service Quality: 10/10 I really loved our waiter. He was fast, efficient and friendly. Atmosphere: 3/10 The building itself and the view is non existant. Not much of a looker. Cost Efficiency: 9/10 It was really good for the price. Willing to pay. Menu Variety: 8/10 They had awesome meats, burgers, and other assortments. Over-all Score: 40/50 I am sure glad I tried it out.
(3)Yasmin V.
What happens when the power goes out and all you have is salad, bread and wine on the table? At this Outback, the staff and manager made "lemonade". While the power never did go back on, our meals and wine were on the house AND we were given "tuck ways" to use on our next visit. Thank you for treating us right! We'll be back!
(4)Sheila D.
Best ribeye steak I had here on the Big Island :) the meat is tender and full of flavor... cooked exactly the way I like my steaks! :)
(5)Samantha O.
It's always good but only once have I received pasta that was too spicy. I've just recently tried going here and it doesn't really ever disappoint especially our waiter named Desmond was so awesome! Very quick, very understanding and friendly. My family and I are very picky with our service and he met our needs ! Btw, their prime rib was to die for!
(4)Lance W.
The food was pretty good but service wasn't super great. My wife ate half her salad with her fingers before we were able to flag down someone to get a fork. That being said my mango salmon was actually pretty good.
(3)Yves R.
I came back despite swearing to myself I would never do so, but I was hungry and didn't have much choice. Well, this dinner experience was better than last year, but the food is still so so. I ordered the prime rib with sides of baked potato and Cesar salad. The best was the salad, second the baked potato, and last the prime rib! (Yeah, not the other way around). The beef was medium rare as I requested it, relatively flavorful, but disturbingly chewy. I really think that the size of this company has gotten the best of them and that they are now just another average diner restaurant. At least we know what we're getting, right?
(2)C. K.
I am not really sure if this place belongs in Kona, but it's there along with many other bars and grills. With their usual steakhouse sized steaks and steakhouse prices, I don't know how this place expected to compete with the portion sizes of local restaurant and fill the bellies of big hawaiians locals. Just like any chain restaurants, the taste is pretty good, and the inside is very well decorated. The server and busser, however, did not seem so delighted to see us, and had that straight faces on. I was comparing out server with the one next table had, who was smiling and laughing the whole time when talking to customers. I don't think I can say much, it's outback. You know what to expect.
(3)Lina P.
Yeah, I'd rather support local, but its a scary world out there! So many horrible places on Alii Drive that for once in my life I'd rather trust a corporate restaurant. I come here more often then I'd like to admit, why? Because they are consistent! Service is always friendly although not alway fast, but I'll take friendliness any day! Come for Happy Hour, get a tall glass of beer, the Ahi Sashimi, and one other item off the Happy Hour menu! Its worth it! They open later in the day, I think its 4:30.
(4)Jaimie W.
Our recent dinner at Outback was disappointing for many reasons. The Calamari appetizer was small with poorly-breaded so-so tasting squid, The Caesar salad with shrimp was too salty, and the dressing was less tasty than most any supermarket brand Caesar dressing. Finally, the ribs were dry with very mediocre flavor. The only positive aspect of our visit was our waitress who was nice and competent.
(1)Roger B.
Had an unbaked potato and a tough steak. I expect more at Outback. I hope this is the exception.
(1)Lisa L.
Just got seated after waiting 40 minutes. During this time watching "2" very unorganized hostess!! Both unfriendly, batting of the eyes, rolling of the eyes and a couple of the "F" words could be heard. Empty tables yet no one getting seated. Pagers are a joke when some are not written down, some being turned in and no clue who they belong to. One was EATING in the front trying to hide. While customers are hungry and irritated.. Servers are telling them they have empty tables but yet the move like snails to seat them. Get seated to be informed no prime rib or 8 oz steak available. Hope this meal gets better!!!
(1)Dean I.
Had a red meat urge, so we came here for Sunday dinner. Wait was only 20 minutes, pretty quick. The service here is consistently good and friendly. I really like the garlic mash, its always smooth. We also tried the cheesecake w/ chocolate drizzle this time. Yay, fluffy cheesecake! I don't like heavy cheesecake, so this was a nice surprise. This is a go to spot for great steak and great service.
(4)Lisa L L.
We would had sat outside but it was unusual windy,so we sat inside. What A disappointment, dark & dreary, my husband opened the shade a little, then the unhappy downer waitress ask him to close the shade, so back to dark& dreary. We where wanting happy and bright hawaii ambience. Our loss. The waitress was not very aloha attitude. The well drinks where mostly ice. The waitress forgot to bring several items we ask for. The food was just ok for the price. We will not go to the Kona Outback again. There are to many other happy aloha places to visit.
(2)Bill C.
My friend and I had a wonderful lunch here outside with the ocean view. I definitely recommend sitting outside! I had the 12oz Outback signature steak, which was pretty filling and had their fries. Fries were standard. I had my steak medium rare, but it looked pretty medium to me. Nonetheless, it was tasty. My friend had the 9oz. steak with mashed potatoes. Looked pretty small, but it was a large serving of mashed potatoes. Their wings were pretty amazing! Bill for the 2 of us seemed a bit pricey for lunch, but for a good steak lunch, it was worth it. Bill Tip: You HAVE to try their strawberry and peach sangria. TO DIE FOR! If you want to be a classy drunk in the afternoon after lunch, this is the drink for you.
(4)Jaime T.
The food is good and tasty. I gave them a three star because my server was really nice though he was not quite on it. I think there is either too much people here and not enough staff OR not enough staff and too much people. He missed some things we ordered but apologized and was nice but if he was on it then I would only give this place a four stars. Five stars would be the best of the best. Food was delicious though!!!!
(3)Greg W.
The chicken Caesar was fantastic, but the shrimp Caesar was basically baron of shrimp and anything else... Mentioned it to the waitress Angel and she was extremely receptive and brought us a desert without saying anything. Service was way better than expected!
(5)Nick H.
Your same ole' Outback. I did notice that the prices were about $5-9 more per plate. We had the sirloin and shrimp.
(4)Loyal B.
Food Quality: 10/10 The burger I had was fantastic. They had a nice selection of meats and appetizers. Service Quality: 10/10 I really loved our waiter. He was fast, efficient and friendly. Atmosphere: 3/10 The building itself and the view is non existant. Not much of a looker. Cost Efficiency: 9/10 It was really good for the price. Willing to pay. Menu Variety: 8/10 They had awesome meats, burgers, and other assortments. Over-all Score: 40/50 I am sure glad I tried it out.
(3)Cary P.
My wife and I are generally a fan of Outback. I can say that I have never had a bad steak there. Over the past several years I have been dining there less frequently. This experience may be our last, my wife says she is done. Let me say first off that I really dislike the "Gimicky" menus and POS materials at the table. They are very difficult to negotiate and remind me of the bulky picture menus at Denny's, right along with an "ABC" "123" on how to order a steak. Give me a break. This is the direction that the company has been heading for several years now. Outback Used to be a "Steakhouse"! Now in the same category as an Applebee's or Chilii's, not saying these are bad places, however OSH used to be a cut above. So here's the beef! Our Server was efficient not overly friendly or interested or informed, certainly not interested just going thru the motions. Food came quickly, squaw bread was warm and tasted good, Wings were hot and tasty but a little greasy, Salads were OK yet continue to shrink they are really a mini salad now. They have another POS piece on the table extolling their great "daily" homemade Croutons. This is definitely BS! My wife ordered Mahi Mahi with veggies, I ordered the "Porterhouse" this used to be called the Melbourne (if you hunt thru pages & pages of the sizzlin good day mate combos & blokey be billibong sirloin saucy toppers) you can still find it. The Mahi was a joke, Frozen, pale, poorly prepared ( keep in mind we're in Hawaii ) the "vegetables" no kidding were those mini "snack carrots" and some pre cut broccoli florets which had gone brown on the ends either from age , mishandling or poor storage procedures. My steak was good but if a guy orders a $30 steak make him some fresh fries. My fries were so funky they reminded me of leftover fries reheated. Anyway we were in a bit of a rush (as we were on our way to our Son's football game, we had matching tshirts on with our son's visiting HS name on them, you'd think the server might have asked us about this...but as I stated earlier...un-interested) so we didn't really complain, plus I didn't go to OSH for fries. Since I am a seasoned FoodService professional I thought i would grab my server and give him a few pointers. So after we cashed out I found my server to just tell him "that if a guy orders a $30 steak bring him fresh fries, don't serve your guests lousy looking veggies" Anyway end of story.... he got defensive and told me I had already had my chance to complain when he did his "obligatory un-interested" check back, I told him I wasn't complaining just trying to give him some pointers. "Whatever" seems to be the new attitude of the organization. My wife won't go back, I may sneak in for a porterhouse in a couple of years. Too bad since we are "after all on an island" Aloha.
(2)Wayne I.
Solid corporate company with the same food as the mainland although at slightly higher prices here in Hawaii. Service was good which is hard to come by in hawaii...bartenders were excellent. Offering recommendations and quick at refills. The $4 bar menu is what to look at if your here.
(4)Island G.
Hit or miss. Food is average outback food, I feel like this location is generally good. Blooming onion is a must. Mac & Cheese was good but spicy. Thu-Sun there's prime rib, $26-$32, it the best deal since all the other steak dinners put you back $22++. We always order 2 PR dinners, the biggest cut, it's a ridiculous amount of food BUT we take leftovers to-go and its enough for another meal for the 2 of us. They can get busy sometimes & obviously food/service will take longer so keep that in mind if you don't want to wait or be set up for disappointment. We always skip and go somewhere else when they're busy. .
(3)Victoria G.
The only reason I'm giving two stars is because the place was clean. Just a couple things bothered us besides our sloppy looking waitress... We asked for our steaks medium rare (pink), our plates were soooo bloody! It had dripped all over our sides. They forgot to bring my toppings out ($6) with my steak, when they finally brought them out I was basically finished with my steak and they still charged me! I also asked for substitution of a certain alcohol in one of my adult beverages and we were charged for two separate beverages! We thought it would be a nice taste of home while on the island and it was pure awful.
(2)John L.
Went and had dinner at the kona location. Got seated quickly our server Stephen was great, attentive. Found the food to be just mediocre. The problem was when we sat down outside I was instantly stuck to the arms of the chair so just for grins I took my napkin and wiped the chair arm in one spot and it was horribly dirty. I think a place that offers food that is eaten by hand, ribs burgers and such should not have such disgusting places to sit. I don't see myself going back any time soon.
(2)Ruben G.
Server Desmond was very nice, attentive, a bit of a smart- ass at the end about a price difference of the dish they brought to me in error, I was gracious enough to take the wrong item, . So I will leave him the difference on the table for the remark. Mahalo
(3)Elaine C.
Went to outback for the first time in 4 years. Gosh they have changed. Our server was Allison, she was wonderful great personality . That was the best part of dinner. I ordered mahi with a lobster/mushroom sauce. The fish tasted old and dry. I took two bites and didn't eat any more. My hubby had the rack of lamb. Another disappointment. The lamb almost tastes like old mutton. He asked for asparagus and he received 5 pieces of skinny spears that were tough and woodsy. Couldn't eat that either. But our server immediately took off quite a bit of the total.
(3)Chelsea L.
Came in on an extremely busy Friday night 10 minutes before closing and had terrific service from a kind mustached gentleman Josh D. Ordered multiple rounds of beers alongside apps, entrees, and dessert. The food was steaming hot/fresh and the service was expedient. Would recommend this restaurant to Kona residents and visitors alike. Thanks!
(5)Russell S.
The first thing the waiter told us... Was that there were plenty of medium and well-cooked steak left in the kitchen. .... ... WTF ... .... What does this even mean? Aren't steaks cooked to order? This immediately let me know there was no way I would be ordering a steak... At a steakhouse. I ended up ordering the chicken strips, which were dry and frozen flavored. The food here was insulting, especially for the price. Absolute trash. My friends wanted to go here for the blooming onion...which was sadly the tastiest item our party of 7 had.
(1)PiLo G.
Yesterday evening was really great, we sat outside on the patio we were able to see the sunset and the water. Warm atmosphere and our waiter Trevor helped us feel at home. All the food was really good. The steak and lobster tails absolutely loved, the Cajun shrimp skewers were my favorite- cooked just right; super delicious sauce and perfect portion size. I was also pleasantly surprised with a new item "Steak Mac n cheese" it was awesome !!! Everyone seemed to work together nicely; our food came out super fast and drinks came quick. Trevor really gave outstanding service; I didn't even realize the restaurant was at full capacity till we got up to leave. Of all the Outback locations I've been to this is by far my favorite!
(4)Valerie M.
We live here in Kona and Outback used to be one of our favorite places to go to meet friends for drinks and appetizers, especially at happy hour. Now, no more happy hour drinks and no half-price appetizers :( Their steaks were always sub par. Huggos on the Rocks here we come :)
(1)Windi G.
I say that our outback here in kona is one of our best restaurants in town!!! There always consistent and the service is always GREAT!! The atmosphere is very kid friendly and very welcoming!!!
(5)Fern K.
Host service was excellent, whereas, table service was mediocre at best & the food was as served in every other Outback Restaurant in the world! Sorry but it was nothing really special on a special day like Father's Day!
(3)Dustyn I.
Went there earlier tonight. Food was good...had the ribeye with Caesar salad and broccoli. The special desert was really good! Think it was a salted caramel cookie. Not sure why but something was off...can't really put my finger on it but just don't think it was 5 star worthy...but definitely still good and well worth a 4 star rating.
(4)Jose T.
Food is decent if you send it back to get it recooked , service is awful from both the waitstaff and at the bar . They accept Amex which is a plus .
(1)Amber H.
I love the fact that I can still get a swiss cheese mushroom burger even though it is not on the menu... the drinks are good too.
(5)Tom A.
It is Outback Food was good as usual. Our waitress was great. It is priced a little higher than most Outbacks but you are in Hawaii.
(4)Richard F.
Food was delicious! Steaks were juicy and cooked to order. Food came at a timely manner and our waiter, although not very energized was curtious, accommodating, kept drinks full and checked on us periodically. He was a very good server. I don't expect a ton of energy at the end of the night with a packed house on mother's day. Only reason it's not 5 stars is I had reservations but was seated 15 min after (not to bad considering the traffic) but also the seating was very cramped by the wall. Other than that food was great and the server was really good. Happy mother's day!
(4)Marleen M.
The food and service is usually up to par at this Outback. However, last night they dropped a few stars. First, our waiter forgot to put in our appetizer order and we didn't realize it until we were served our entrees. We opted to skip it and just dig in to our meals. My son had the Outback special steak with a side of crab legs. The side of crab was $14.99, and such a disappointment. The crab meat was dry and cold. Our waiter did bring us ONE bowl of ice cream to share since he forgot our appetizer....and was apologetic....I didn't have the heart to tell him the crab legs sucked. Side note: I've had the crab legs here before and they were good...not great...but ok. Guess they were having an off night.
(3)Brandi T.
Great service and it was fast! Can't believe how good they were for it being a chain restaurant. Food was really good and the people are very helpful on how to order your steak. This place so far has been better then the fancy restaurants in the area!
(4)Megan F.
Though I try to frequent local eateries when traveling, sometimes you just need a hunk of red meat and a salad from a place you can count on. Outback in Kona delivered & at a price that was almost identical to what I pay at home. I even had my only good glass of iced tea in Kona at this restaurant. Try to get a table on the patio; there's a nice ocean view and a wonderful island breeze.
(4)Mary J.
Even though the company offers a gluten free menu, a certain waiter is not gluten free friendly. Celiac is a disease and yes, Virginia, people really are allergic to gluten. Who made you a doctor instead of a waiter? Celiacs and those that eat gluten free, go elsewhere.
(1)Summer S.
The burgers were very small and not very tasty, the kitchen was very backed up so it took about 30 minutes to get our food, which was not very good. Even the Bloomin onion seemed overly greasy and a bit overcooked. There are much better places to go for the same price or less on Ali'i drive
(1)Cam M.
Came to have lobster with the family. We love the steamed lobster here. Unfortunately the food took forever to come and when it did the lobsters were cold and tough, not like how they usually are. How ever Zachary our server and the manager where very helpful and fixed our order and comped a couple of our apps. Once fixed the food tasted great. Their app combo is good and so are their veggies, like the asparagus. Also recommend their French onion soup. The service has been horrible here before but Zachary was great.
(4)Joshua Lee B.
This is a GOOD spot for a meal. I wish they had 3.5 stars because it's almost 4 stars but not quite. We had great service, friendly, great for my kids. Good anticipation for the meal. I was very happy. QUINN, the bartender!! Whew!! Man can she pour a great drink! Between her and Sara they kept the costumers content!!! We had a wonderful experience. Not 5 star cuisine, but it was very decent. For the price and atmosphere, well done. We had Mac & cheese for kids with side of ribs. Wife had filet w/ lobster topping. I had blue cheese crusted filet, with bacon wrapped shrimp. They are small , but tasty. We ordered the Alice springs chicken appetizer cassadia. It was great, along with the blackened ahi and blooming onion. Onion is a classic, I wasn't to fond of it, but it is a novel idea. Ahi was good! Little spicy with so much pepper, but great quality on fish. Both filets were cooked perfectly. Rare!!! Grilled asparagus, with loaded baked potatoes... Had to ask for extra bacon/sour cream, but still yummy!!! Wish we had room for dessert!!! Kids stuffed, wife content, and myself filled to the brim!!!! Will be having pie for dessert at home!!!! :) Very satisfied, a well worth meal!!
(3)Anela U.
This location is consistently inconsistent. Went there about a year ago & left after 30 minutes because we never got greeted at our table. Decided to try again last night for an early Father's Day dinner. We see ads on TV all the time about specials & promotions. Be advised, they don't offer them here. The bartender even stated, "We don't have everything you see on TV. It's mostly on the mainland." We asked the bartender about any current specials or pre-fixe menus to which she said, "We have them on the inserts of our menu but I don't have that page right now." She walked away & never made an attempt to find a "full" menu. We ended up ordering a salad & chicken wings & left. What great Father's Day meal. If you're in Hawaii, eat local & stay away from this chain restaurant.
(1)Chris W.
Went here because it was familiar to us the staff was very easily confused we noticed not to be extremely overbusy the hostesses were very uncoordinated but after 20 minutes when we did get seated the waiter we had was great the food was good , my steak was cooked just right,, but we did hear several tables around us complaining. And sending dishes back so maybe we just got lucky.
(4)Jen P.
Our ahi tuna came out frozen. The waitress took it to the kitchen and when she returned her comment was, "I held it under the heat lamp for a bit. I don't want to touch it so let me know if it's okay." Wow, customer service at it's best.
(2)LA W.
I ordered the BBQ chicken salad and was glad I used a gift certificate because it was not worth $17! There were no tortilla strips and if they added the bbq sauce to the dressing, it was hard to tell. There was nothing barbequed about this salad. There were about 12 pieces of "roasted" corn. I'm lucky if there was a 1/4 of a chicken breast. Trader Joe's does a better BBQ chicken salad for 1/3 the cost of this bland, sorry salad. Outback used to be awesome back in the day but that was before my hair turned grey. Their steaks are small, tough, and full of gristle. I don't know where they find such small bake potatoes. I still have $8 on my gift card and will send it to a friend who will use it at the bar. If it weren't for the gift, I would never have gone. I won't return.
(1)Joe G.
Typical Outback fare, but sit outside and view the ocean! The service was spectacular!
(4)Kalani T.
I'm too full to write a story about this place. Take my word...it's good and it's worth it! I going sleep now...Aloha's :)
(5)Lance O.
I know it is big chain restaurant, trust me, I have a hard time giving a chain, such a high score, but they do a fantastic job at it. When you have a child that orders "Double Broccoli" over french fries - you need to go back. The food is consistently the same - excellent, the service is fantastic, in fact if you go, ask for "Lehua's" area, she always remembers us, right there with a tall Fosters before we have to ask, and overall a great waitress. I can't forget Matt, the prevarior of the restaurant, usually walks around and checks on everybody, runs a good crew, and is just a good man. Please feel to use our name (Lance,Kimi, Dean) if you get Lehua as your server and tell her "I said to treat you like family". Location, also fantastic, the kids play in the sand volleyball pit whey we wait, close to shops, indoor and outdoor seating - sunsets are awesome from outisde seating
(5)Steve K.
My wife and I decided to actually have dinner instead of takeout here on Monday, so this will be a bit different from my takeout reviews. First off, we prefer to sit outside, on the ocean side; you have a bit of ocean view, and it is much quieter than inside. Some may prefer inside with a booth, but we enjoy the ambience. So we sat outside, and had a leisurely beer; glad to have a local beer on tap, Firerock. I ordered prime rib, rare, a baked potato and a salad, while my wife stuck with her favorite filet. We were tempted by a new set of sirloins that were only $18, but stayed with what we knew we liked. My wife did order the Marsala sauce as an extra, since it had been on one of the $18 sirloins, and it was a delicious addition. Our server Scott was attentive, apologetic when there were no bread plates as they were all in the wash, hurried out with them when they were available. Overall we really enjoyed the meal and the service, and the bill was a not unreasonable $74 for the two of us. We may have to rethink this whole takeout thing and stick with Thai and Chinese for takeout for a while as we really enjoyed ourselves. If you're on a budget they also have amazing burgers, as I think I noted in my review of takeout. It's nice to have this option available in town! Worth noting that both tables near by were local residents as well.
(4)Sarah J.
It's so hot out that seeking refuge in Outback for lunch was a great choice. It was like cave dwelling but with food service ! We had a great meal ... 2 bloomin onion burgers they were about 5 inches tall and yummy... my bloody mary came with a whole piece of bacon in it, that was a first for me it was served in a mason jar... very very good ! We love the bleu cheese wedge salad too ! Our server Cammy was very friendly and looked after our every need ... 5 stars for her.. My only gripe is that they are only open for lunch on weekends. I think they would be surprised how many of us would become regulars if they would open for lunch on weekdays ? Especially during these dog-days of summer !
(4)Wayne I.
Solid corporate company with the same food as the mainland although at slightly higher prices here in Hawaii. Service was good which is hard to come by in hawaii...bartenders were excellent. Offering recommendations and quick at refills. The $4 bar menu is what to look at if your here.
(4)John L.
Went and had dinner at the kona location. Got seated quickly our server Stephen was great, attentive. Found the food to be just mediocre. The problem was when we sat down outside I was instantly stuck to the arms of the chair so just for grins I took my napkin and wiped the chair arm in one spot and it was horribly dirty. I think a place that offers food that is eaten by hand, ribs burgers and such should not have such disgusting places to sit. I don't see myself going back any time soon.
(2)Ruben G.
Server Desmond was very nice, attentive, a bit of a smart- ass at the end about a price difference of the dish they brought to me in error, I was gracious enough to take the wrong item, . So I will leave him the difference on the table for the remark. Mahalo
(3)Elaine C.
Went to outback for the first time in 4 years. Gosh they have changed. Our server was Allison, she was wonderful great personality . That was the best part of dinner. I ordered mahi with a lobster/mushroom sauce. The fish tasted old and dry. I took two bites and didn't eat any more. My hubby had the rack of lamb. Another disappointment. The lamb almost tastes like old mutton. He asked for asparagus and he received 5 pieces of skinny spears that were tough and woodsy. Couldn't eat that either. But our server immediately took off quite a bit of the total.
(3)Chelsea L.
Came in on an extremely busy Friday night 10 minutes before closing and had terrific service from a kind mustached gentleman Josh D. Ordered multiple rounds of beers alongside apps, entrees, and dessert. The food was steaming hot/fresh and the service was expedient. Would recommend this restaurant to Kona residents and visitors alike. Thanks!
(5)Russell S.
The first thing the waiter told us... Was that there were plenty of medium and well-cooked steak left in the kitchen. .... ... WTF ... .... What does this even mean? Aren't steaks cooked to order? This immediately let me know there was no way I would be ordering a steak... At a steakhouse. I ended up ordering the chicken strips, which were dry and frozen flavored. The food here was insulting, especially for the price. Absolute trash. My friends wanted to go here for the blooming onion...which was sadly the tastiest item our party of 7 had.
(1)PiLo G.
Yesterday evening was really great, we sat outside on the patio we were able to see the sunset and the water. Warm atmosphere and our waiter Trevor helped us feel at home. All the food was really good. The steak and lobster tails absolutely loved, the Cajun shrimp skewers were my favorite- cooked just right; super delicious sauce and perfect portion size. I was also pleasantly surprised with a new item "Steak Mac n cheese" it was awesome !!! Everyone seemed to work together nicely; our food came out super fast and drinks came quick. Trevor really gave outstanding service; I didn't even realize the restaurant was at full capacity till we got up to leave. Of all the Outback locations I've been to this is by far my favorite!
(4)Valerie M.
We live here in Kona and Outback used to be one of our favorite places to go to meet friends for drinks and appetizers, especially at happy hour. Now, no more happy hour drinks and no half-price appetizers :( Their steaks were always sub par. Huggos on the Rocks here we come :)
(1)Windi G.
I say that our outback here in kona is one of our best restaurants in town!!! There always consistent and the service is always GREAT!! The atmosphere is very kid friendly and very welcoming!!!
(5)Fern K.
Host service was excellent, whereas, table service was mediocre at best & the food was as served in every other Outback Restaurant in the world! Sorry but it was nothing really special on a special day like Father's Day!
(3)Dustyn I.
Went there earlier tonight. Food was good...had the ribeye with Caesar salad and broccoli. The special desert was really good! Think it was a salted caramel cookie. Not sure why but something was off...can't really put my finger on it but just don't think it was 5 star worthy...but definitely still good and well worth a 4 star rating.
(4)Jose T.
Food is decent if you send it back to get it recooked , service is awful from both the waitstaff and at the bar . They accept Amex which is a plus .
(1)Amber H.
I love the fact that I can still get a swiss cheese mushroom burger even though it is not on the menu... the drinks are good too.
(5)Tom A.
It is Outback Food was good as usual. Our waitress was great. It is priced a little higher than most Outbacks but you are in Hawaii.
(4)Richard F.
Food was delicious! Steaks were juicy and cooked to order. Food came at a timely manner and our waiter, although not very energized was curtious, accommodating, kept drinks full and checked on us periodically. He was a very good server. I don't expect a ton of energy at the end of the night with a packed house on mother's day. Only reason it's not 5 stars is I had reservations but was seated 15 min after (not to bad considering the traffic) but also the seating was very cramped by the wall. Other than that food was great and the server was really good. Happy mother's day!
(4)Brandi T.
Great service and it was fast! Can't believe how good they were for it being a chain restaurant. Food was really good and the people are very helpful on how to order your steak. This place so far has been better then the fancy restaurants in the area!
(4)Marleen M.
The food and service is usually up to par at this Outback. However, last night they dropped a few stars. First, our waiter forgot to put in our appetizer order and we didn't realize it until we were served our entrees. We opted to skip it and just dig in to our meals. My son had the Outback special steak with a side of crab legs. The side of crab was $14.99, and such a disappointment. The crab meat was dry and cold. Our waiter did bring us ONE bowl of ice cream to share since he forgot our appetizer....and was apologetic....I didn't have the heart to tell him the crab legs sucked. Side note: I've had the crab legs here before and they were good...not great...but ok. Guess they were having an off night.
(3)Megan F.
Though I try to frequent local eateries when traveling, sometimes you just need a hunk of red meat and a salad from a place you can count on. Outback in Kona delivered & at a price that was almost identical to what I pay at home. I even had my only good glass of iced tea in Kona at this restaurant. Try to get a table on the patio; there's a nice ocean view and a wonderful island breeze.
(4)Mary J.
Even though the company offers a gluten free menu, a certain waiter is not gluten free friendly. Celiac is a disease and yes, Virginia, people really are allergic to gluten. Who made you a doctor instead of a waiter? Celiacs and those that eat gluten free, go elsewhere.
(1)Summer S.
The burgers were very small and not very tasty, the kitchen was very backed up so it took about 30 minutes to get our food, which was not very good. Even the Bloomin onion seemed overly greasy and a bit overcooked. There are much better places to go for the same price or less on Ali'i drive
(1)Cam M.
Came to have lobster with the family. We love the steamed lobster here. Unfortunately the food took forever to come and when it did the lobsters were cold and tough, not like how they usually are. How ever Zachary our server and the manager where very helpful and fixed our order and comped a couple of our apps. Once fixed the food tasted great. Their app combo is good and so are their veggies, like the asparagus. Also recommend their French onion soup. The service has been horrible here before but Zachary was great.
(4)Joe G.
Typical Outback fare, but sit outside and view the ocean! The service was spectacular!
(4)Kalani T.
I'm too full to write a story about this place. Take my word...it's good and it's worth it! I going sleep now...Aloha's :)
(5)Joshua Lee B.
This is a GOOD spot for a meal. I wish they had 3.5 stars because it's almost 4 stars but not quite. We had great service, friendly, great for my kids. Good anticipation for the meal. I was very happy. QUINN, the bartender!! Whew!! Man can she pour a great drink! Between her and Sara they kept the costumers content!!! We had a wonderful experience. Not 5 star cuisine, but it was very decent. For the price and atmosphere, well done. We had Mac & cheese for kids with side of ribs. Wife had filet w/ lobster topping. I had blue cheese crusted filet, with bacon wrapped shrimp. They are small , but tasty. We ordered the Alice springs chicken appetizer cassadia. It was great, along with the blackened ahi and blooming onion. Onion is a classic, I wasn't to fond of it, but it is a novel idea. Ahi was good! Little spicy with so much pepper, but great quality on fish. Both filets were cooked perfectly. Rare!!! Grilled asparagus, with loaded baked potatoes... Had to ask for extra bacon/sour cream, but still yummy!!! Wish we had room for dessert!!! Kids stuffed, wife content, and myself filled to the brim!!!! Will be having pie for dessert at home!!!! :) Very satisfied, a well worth meal!!
(3)Anela U.
This location is consistently inconsistent. Went there about a year ago & left after 30 minutes because we never got greeted at our table. Decided to try again last night for an early Father's Day dinner. We see ads on TV all the time about specials & promotions. Be advised, they don't offer them here. The bartender even stated, "We don't have everything you see on TV. It's mostly on the mainland." We asked the bartender about any current specials or pre-fixe menus to which she said, "We have them on the inserts of our menu but I don't have that page right now." She walked away & never made an attempt to find a "full" menu. We ended up ordering a salad & chicken wings & left. What great Father's Day meal. If you're in Hawaii, eat local & stay away from this chain restaurant.
(1)Chris W.
Went here because it was familiar to us the staff was very easily confused we noticed not to be extremely overbusy the hostesses were very uncoordinated but after 20 minutes when we did get seated the waiter we had was great the food was good , my steak was cooked just right,, but we did hear several tables around us complaining. And sending dishes back so maybe we just got lucky.
(4)Jen P.
Our ahi tuna came out frozen. The waitress took it to the kitchen and when she returned her comment was, "I held it under the heat lamp for a bit. I don't want to touch it so let me know if it's okay." Wow, customer service at it's best.
(2)LA W.
I ordered the BBQ chicken salad and was glad I used a gift certificate because it was not worth $17! There were no tortilla strips and if they added the bbq sauce to the dressing, it was hard to tell. There was nothing barbequed about this salad. There were about 12 pieces of "roasted" corn. I'm lucky if there was a 1/4 of a chicken breast. Trader Joe's does a better BBQ chicken salad for 1/3 the cost of this bland, sorry salad. Outback used to be awesome back in the day but that was before my hair turned grey. Their steaks are small, tough, and full of gristle. I don't know where they find such small bake potatoes. I still have $8 on my gift card and will send it to a friend who will use it at the bar. If it weren't for the gift, I would never have gone. I won't return.
(1)Lance O.
I know it is big chain restaurant, trust me, I have a hard time giving a chain, such a high score, but they do a fantastic job at it. When you have a child that orders "Double Broccoli" over french fries - you need to go back. The food is consistently the same - excellent, the service is fantastic, in fact if you go, ask for "Lehua's" area, she always remembers us, right there with a tall Fosters before we have to ask, and overall a great waitress. I can't forget Matt, the prevarior of the restaurant, usually walks around and checks on everybody, runs a good crew, and is just a good man. Please feel to use our name (Lance,Kimi, Dean) if you get Lehua as your server and tell her "I said to treat you like family". Location, also fantastic, the kids play in the sand volleyball pit whey we wait, close to shops, indoor and outdoor seating - sunsets are awesome from outisde seating
(5)Steve K.
My wife and I decided to actually have dinner instead of takeout here on Monday, so this will be a bit different from my takeout reviews. First off, we prefer to sit outside, on the ocean side; you have a bit of ocean view, and it is much quieter than inside. Some may prefer inside with a booth, but we enjoy the ambience. So we sat outside, and had a leisurely beer; glad to have a local beer on tap, Firerock. I ordered prime rib, rare, a baked potato and a salad, while my wife stuck with her favorite filet. We were tempted by a new set of sirloins that were only $18, but stayed with what we knew we liked. My wife did order the Marsala sauce as an extra, since it had been on one of the $18 sirloins, and it was a delicious addition. Our server Scott was attentive, apologetic when there were no bread plates as they were all in the wash, hurried out with them when they were available. Overall we really enjoyed the meal and the service, and the bill was a not unreasonable $74 for the two of us. We may have to rethink this whole takeout thing and stick with Thai and Chinese for takeout for a while as we really enjoyed ourselves. If you're on a budget they also have amazing burgers, as I think I noted in my review of takeout. It's nice to have this option available in town! Worth noting that both tables near by were local residents as well.
(4)Sarah J.
It's so hot out that seeking refuge in Outback for lunch was a great choice. It was like cave dwelling but with food service ! We had a great meal ... 2 bloomin onion burgers they were about 5 inches tall and yummy... my bloody mary came with a whole piece of bacon in it, that was a first for me it was served in a mason jar... very very good ! We love the bleu cheese wedge salad too ! Our server Cammy was very friendly and looked after our every need ... 5 stars for her.. My only gripe is that they are only open for lunch on weekends. I think they would be surprised how many of us would become regulars if they would open for lunch on weekdays ? Especially during these dog-days of summer !
(4)Yasmin V.
What happens when the power goes out and all you have is salad, bread and wine on the table? At this Outback, the staff and manager made "lemonade". While the power never did go back on, our meals and wine were on the house AND we were given "tuck ways" to use on our next visit. Thank you for treating us right! We'll be back!
(4)Sheila D.
Best ribeye steak I had here on the Big Island :) the meat is tender and full of flavor... cooked exactly the way I like my steaks! :)
(5)Roger B.
Had an unbaked potato and a tough steak. I expect more at Outback. I hope this is the exception.
(1)Lisa L.
Just got seated after waiting 40 minutes. During this time watching "2" very unorganized hostess!! Both unfriendly, batting of the eyes, rolling of the eyes and a couple of the "F" words could be heard. Empty tables yet no one getting seated. Pagers are a joke when some are not written down, some being turned in and no clue who they belong to. One was EATING in the front trying to hide. While customers are hungry and irritated.. Servers are telling them they have empty tables but yet the move like snails to seat them. Get seated to be informed no prime rib or 8 oz steak available. Hope this meal gets better!!!
(1)Dean I.
Had a red meat urge, so we came here for Sunday dinner. Wait was only 20 minutes, pretty quick. The service here is consistently good and friendly. I really like the garlic mash, its always smooth. We also tried the cheesecake w/ chocolate drizzle this time. Yay, fluffy cheesecake! I don't like heavy cheesecake, so this was a nice surprise. This is a go to spot for great steak and great service.
(4)Lisa L L.
We would had sat outside but it was unusual windy,so we sat inside. What A disappointment, dark & dreary, my husband opened the shade a little, then the unhappy downer waitress ask him to close the shade, so back to dark& dreary. We where wanting happy and bright hawaii ambience. Our loss. The waitress was not very aloha attitude. The well drinks where mostly ice. The waitress forgot to bring several items we ask for. The food was just ok for the price. We will not go to the Kona Outback again. There are to many other happy aloha places to visit.
(2)Bill C.
My friend and I had a wonderful lunch here outside with the ocean view. I definitely recommend sitting outside! I had the 12oz Outback signature steak, which was pretty filling and had their fries. Fries were standard. I had my steak medium rare, but it looked pretty medium to me. Nonetheless, it was tasty. My friend had the 9oz. steak with mashed potatoes. Looked pretty small, but it was a large serving of mashed potatoes. Their wings were pretty amazing! Bill for the 2 of us seemed a bit pricey for lunch, but for a good steak lunch, it was worth it. Bill Tip: You HAVE to try their strawberry and peach sangria. TO DIE FOR! If you want to be a classy drunk in the afternoon after lunch, this is the drink for you.
(4)Jaime T.
The food is good and tasty. I gave them a three star because my server was really nice though he was not quite on it. I think there is either too much people here and not enough staff OR not enough staff and too much people. He missed some things we ordered but apologized and was nice but if he was on it then I would only give this place a four stars. Five stars would be the best of the best. Food was delicious though!!!!
(3)Samantha O.
It's always good but only once have I received pasta that was too spicy. I've just recently tried going here and it doesn't really ever disappoint especially our waiter named Desmond was so awesome! Very quick, very understanding and friendly. My family and I are very picky with our service and he met our needs ! Btw, their prime rib was to die for!
(4)Cary P.
My wife and I are generally a fan of Outback. I can say that I have never had a bad steak there. Over the past several years I have been dining there less frequently. This experience may be our last, my wife says she is done. Let me say first off that I really dislike the "Gimicky" menus and POS materials at the table. They are very difficult to negotiate and remind me of the bulky picture menus at Denny's, right along with an "ABC" "123" on how to order a steak. Give me a break. This is the direction that the company has been heading for several years now. Outback Used to be a "Steakhouse"! Now in the same category as an Applebee's or Chilii's, not saying these are bad places, however OSH used to be a cut above. So here's the beef! Our Server was efficient not overly friendly or interested or informed, certainly not interested just going thru the motions. Food came quickly, squaw bread was warm and tasted good, Wings were hot and tasty but a little greasy, Salads were OK yet continue to shrink they are really a mini salad now. They have another POS piece on the table extolling their great "daily" homemade Croutons. This is definitely BS! My wife ordered Mahi Mahi with veggies, I ordered the "Porterhouse" this used to be called the Melbourne (if you hunt thru pages & pages of the sizzlin good day mate combos & blokey be billibong sirloin saucy toppers) you can still find it. The Mahi was a joke, Frozen, pale, poorly prepared ( keep in mind we're in Hawaii ) the "vegetables" no kidding were those mini "snack carrots" and some pre cut broccoli florets which had gone brown on the ends either from age , mishandling or poor storage procedures. My steak was good but if a guy orders a $30 steak make him some fresh fries. My fries were so funky they reminded me of leftover fries reheated. Anyway we were in a bit of a rush (as we were on our way to our Son's football game, we had matching tshirts on with our son's visiting HS name on them, you'd think the server might have asked us about this...but as I stated earlier...un-interested) so we didn't really complain, plus I didn't go to OSH for fries. Since I am a seasoned FoodService professional I thought i would grab my server and give him a few pointers. So after we cashed out I found my server to just tell him "that if a guy orders a $30 steak bring him fresh fries, don't serve your guests lousy looking veggies" Anyway end of story.... he got defensive and told me I had already had my chance to complain when he did his "obligatory un-interested" check back, I told him I wasn't complaining just trying to give him some pointers. "Whatever" seems to be the new attitude of the organization. My wife won't go back, I may sneak in for a porterhouse in a couple of years. Too bad since we are "after all on an island" Aloha.
(2)Lance W.
The food was pretty good but service wasn't super great. My wife ate half her salad with her fingers before we were able to flag down someone to get a fork. That being said my mango salmon was actually pretty good.
(3)Greg W.
The chicken Caesar was fantastic, but the shrimp Caesar was basically baron of shrimp and anything else... Mentioned it to the waitress Angel and she was extremely receptive and brought us a desert without saying anything. Service was way better than expected!
(5)Nick H.
Your same ole' Outback. I did notice that the prices were about $5-9 more per plate. We had the sirloin and shrimp.
(4)Loyal B.
Food Quality: 10/10 The burger I had was fantastic. They had a nice selection of meats and appetizers. Service Quality: 10/10 I really loved our waiter. He was fast, efficient and friendly. Atmosphere: 3/10 The building itself and the view is non existant. Not much of a looker. Cost Efficiency: 9/10 It was really good for the price. Willing to pay. Menu Variety: 8/10 They had awesome meats, burgers, and other assortments. Over-all Score: 40/50 I am sure glad I tried it out.
(3)Yves R.
I came back despite swearing to myself I would never do so, but I was hungry and didn't have much choice. Well, this dinner experience was better than last year, but the food is still so so. I ordered the prime rib with sides of baked potato and Cesar salad. The best was the salad, second the baked potato, and last the prime rib! (Yeah, not the other way around). The beef was medium rare as I requested it, relatively flavorful, but disturbingly chewy. I really think that the size of this company has gotten the best of them and that they are now just another average diner restaurant. At least we know what we're getting, right?
(2)C. K.
I am not really sure if this place belongs in Kona, but it's there along with many other bars and grills. With their usual steakhouse sized steaks and steakhouse prices, I don't know how this place expected to compete with the portion sizes of local restaurant and fill the bellies of big hawaiians locals. Just like any chain restaurants, the taste is pretty good, and the inside is very well decorated. The server and busser, however, did not seem so delighted to see us, and had that straight faces on. I was comparing out server with the one next table had, who was smiling and laughing the whole time when talking to customers. I don't think I can say much, it's outback. You know what to expect.
(3)Lina P.
Yeah, I'd rather support local, but its a scary world out there! So many horrible places on Alii Drive that for once in my life I'd rather trust a corporate restaurant. I come here more often then I'd like to admit, why? Because they are consistent! Service is always friendly although not alway fast, but I'll take friendliness any day! Come for Happy Hour, get a tall glass of beer, the Ahi Sashimi, and one other item off the Happy Hour menu! Its worth it! They open later in the day, I think its 4:30.
(4)Erynn T.
Came here for the 1st time for dinner today. Semi-busy but not noisy. we were seated quickly and our waitress Alana was really good, super friendly and attentive. Our food came really fast too! We got the flatbread w/ chicken, artichoke, spinach appetizer. It was good, but it really wasn't "flatbread" it was a crispy fried tortilla. I had a strawberry lemonade too, which was good. A bit syrupy/sweet but still refreshing and thirst-quenching. The bf had prime rib & they were willing to add more ounces so he got 32 oz (they charge $1 per additional ounce). This was nice because when we went to Outback on Oahu, they wouldn't do larger cuts than the 16 oz (and yes, he ate it all :P). For my entree I got the woodfire grilled chicken salad. I wouldn't say it was the nicest presentation -- everything looked just thrown together and not really mixed. Big portion though. There was supposed to be green apple and walnuts with mixed greens, but majority of the salad was won bok cabbage with a little romaine. I only had about 5 pieces of apple and they were buried under the salad rather than mixed in. But the vinaigrette dressing was tasty. The chicken was alright. Just wish there was more green apples & variety of lettuce though. Overall the flavor was good but it's not something I'd order again. Overall I enjoyed eating here, the service was good and I would come back again but order something else.
(4)Jim V.
Massive portions. Ribs are nicely prepared, burger was huge and delicious. Service was excellent, no issues whatsoever. Priced accordingly and didn't feel ripped off like some other restaurants in the tourist locations. Skip the fries and order a Baked potatoes! They are excellent!
(4)Kaneohe G.
food was excellent, service was good, great view!
(5)Nancy Z.
We were fans of this chain when it hit the west coast many years ago. After moving to the Big Island, Outback found our piece of the world. We would often stop on the way to or from the airport for a nice dinner. I like their food but for the price (which is a bit high), I'd rather give my dollars to a 'local' business whose food is just as good if not better. The food at Outback is just not that special. The wine is not that good given the high price (not that unusual in town). The rub for us is that every time....I mean every single time....we've eaten there, they don't give us our full change. Now I've been places where they do this, but the change is always in your favor. Not at Outback. If you're due $10.50 in change, they give you $10. My husband pitches a fit and generally won't leave a tip. The waitress actually told my husband they keep the change because "everyone leaves the change as part of the tip." The last time we were there, we spoke with the manager to find out if this was Outback's 'policy'. The manager assured us it was not. For those of you visiting, don't waste your time eating food you can get anytime at home. I suggest you try the places that feature fresh, local food. As for us, we've given up on this place.
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