I have been to Kona many times over the years and always liked it so when I had a chance to visit again I was looking forward to a nice meal in pleasant surroundings. First thing I noticed was that they had changed the menu since the last time I was there (don't go often so that was not a surprise). The new menu certainly reflects the time with a liberal use of the words sustainable, organic and so on, but how is the food?. I ordered the seafood risotto and my husband one of the specials: trout filled with wild rice mix and some reduction or other. My risotto was served very soon after ordering which made me nervous as it was too fast to properly prepare it and I was right. I would define it as overcooked Minute Rice. Although I could see rice grains they were total mush. In addition to rice there were little carrot squares which were nice and crunchy and tasteless pieces of tomato. Thankfully, the seafood was cooked as it should be. The plating of the dish left a lot to be desired as it was a study in white and beige: white hunk of bread atop a white bowl filled with beige rice. The trout had been properly cooked, but the "reduction" that came with it was so minute that I did not taste any of it. We did not have desert as I did not trust the execution.
(2)
Sarah F.
Great for veggie food, slow service, but I am a relaxed type who's not in a hurry....good coffee service.
(3)
Dana C.
By far one of my favorite restaurants in Oxford--at least, when I was a student. The menu options are creative, unique and not to mentiion delicious. This is a perfect place to take your mom or a place to go for girls night out. The menu prices are a little higher compared to other places around town, but well worth it for the quality and the freshness of the food. I've tried a good portion of the menu and my favorites are: the adobo chicken salad, the roasted vegetable ziti and my absolute favorite--the rosemary chicken ziti
(4)
Sarah M.
Ok, so I spent some time waffling between the three and the four. I'll explain. The service at Kona is, in my experience, always mediocre. The wait staff seems enormous; people are always milling around, and yet nothing is done quite right. Something is always forgotten, whether it be a spoon for my banana split or creamer for my coffee, and things are accidentally spilled or fumbled. It's not a very smooth operation. For such a small space, the interior decor is over the top with glaringly loud, bright colors. With that said, the menu is pleasantly diverse (and includes many vegetarian friendly dishes) and the desserts are very good. I recently had a salmon salad there that was served atop mashed potatoes. It might sound weird, but the fresh lightness of the greens and the creaminess of the potatoes perfectly complemented the grilled salmon. I should also add that the outdoor courtyard provides an excellent alternative to dining inside (weather permitting, of course). If this restaurant were in a big city (or even a bigger small town), I would probably only give it a 2 or a 3, but Oxford's options are limited, and in a town dominated by frat boy sports bars, Kona at least stands out as offering an alternative. **I decided to downgrade Kona to a 3 after a bad, bad sushi experience there. The rice had the consistency and taste of paste. Seriously. The worst sushi I have ever had, and I've eaten a lot of sushi in my day.
(3)
Johnny B.
This used to be my favorite dinner in Oxford (second dinner comes later at bagel and deli). that was until that italian place opened up last year, so now i dont make it to kona at all. but there food was always great.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
b b.
I have been to Kona many times over the years and always liked it so when I had a chance to visit again I was looking forward to a nice meal in pleasant surroundings. First thing I noticed was that they had changed the menu since the last time I was there (don't go often so that was not a surprise). The new menu certainly reflects the time with a liberal use of the words sustainable, organic and so on, but how is the food?. I ordered the seafood risotto and my husband one of the specials: trout filled with wild rice mix and some reduction or other. My risotto was served very soon after ordering which made me nervous as it was too fast to properly prepare it and I was right. I would define it as overcooked Minute Rice. Although I could see rice grains they were total mush. In addition to rice there were little carrot squares which were nice and crunchy and tasteless pieces of tomato. Thankfully, the seafood was cooked as it should be. The plating of the dish left a lot to be desired as it was a study in white and beige: white hunk of bread atop a white bowl filled with beige rice. The trout had been properly cooked, but the "reduction" that came with it was so minute that I did not taste any of it. We did not have desert as I did not trust the execution.
(2)Sarah F.
Great for veggie food, slow service, but I am a relaxed type who's not in a hurry....good coffee service.
(3)Dana C.
By far one of my favorite restaurants in Oxford--at least, when I was a student. The menu options are creative, unique and not to mentiion delicious. This is a perfect place to take your mom or a place to go for girls night out. The menu prices are a little higher compared to other places around town, but well worth it for the quality and the freshness of the food. I've tried a good portion of the menu and my favorites are: the adobo chicken salad, the roasted vegetable ziti and my absolute favorite--the rosemary chicken ziti
(4)Sarah M.
Ok, so I spent some time waffling between the three and the four. I'll explain. The service at Kona is, in my experience, always mediocre. The wait staff seems enormous; people are always milling around, and yet nothing is done quite right. Something is always forgotten, whether it be a spoon for my banana split or creamer for my coffee, and things are accidentally spilled or fumbled. It's not a very smooth operation. For such a small space, the interior decor is over the top with glaringly loud, bright colors. With that said, the menu is pleasantly diverse (and includes many vegetarian friendly dishes) and the desserts are very good. I recently had a salmon salad there that was served atop mashed potatoes. It might sound weird, but the fresh lightness of the greens and the creaminess of the potatoes perfectly complemented the grilled salmon. I should also add that the outdoor courtyard provides an excellent alternative to dining inside (weather permitting, of course). If this restaurant were in a big city (or even a bigger small town), I would probably only give it a 2 or a 3, but Oxford's options are limited, and in a town dominated by frat boy sports bars, Kona at least stands out as offering an alternative. **I decided to downgrade Kona to a 3 after a bad, bad sushi experience there. The rice had the consistency and taste of paste. Seriously. The worst sushi I have ever had, and I've eaten a lot of sushi in my day.
(3)Johnny B.
This used to be my favorite dinner in Oxford (second dinner comes later at bagel and deli). that was until that italian place opened up last year, so now i dont make it to kona at all. but there food was always great.
(4)