Kaia's — Restaurant in Danville

After hearing how great this place is, my two girlfriends and I went on a Saturday night. We sat at the bar and ordered a painkiller, vodka soda and their version of a blue Hawaiian. We were told our table outside was ready and it took four tries to get someone to take our payment. Our bartender was not paying attention, so we had to ask the dishwasher.

We sat outside and the server spilled the rest of my drink on me and then wiped the drink and ice on the floor on my shoes.

He took a long time to take our order and when we tried to flag him down, he asked us to WAIT as he had to get the table next to us their to go box!

I ordered the beef and rice dish and all of the meat was fat. All of it. The server took the dish off our bill.

When we tried to pay, he showed us the amount but not the bill. Good thing my friend asked to see the bill because my two friends were charged twice the amount of a vodka/soda as my friend was charged inside. The bill showed $8 for the vodka and $2 for the soda! My other friend was charged for Titos and then $2 for soda for $12. We never asked for Titos. We asked for two vodka sodas. The general manager came over and we explained we've now been charged three different prices for a well vodka soda. We asked why he charged $2 for soda! He said he would correct the bill and take off one of the vodka sodas and delete the $2 for soda. Then returned the receipt to us with the $2 charge still on our order. Ugh. We were so tired of trying to get the right amount charged to us we just paid and left.

Everyone should watch their bills! There was nothing fantastic about the drinks; the food was horrible (except the fries, they were good) and the ambiance was fun.

I hope they turn this...

⸻

I was excited to hear that a new tiki restaurant had opened in Danville, so my boyfriend and I, along with a friend, decided to check it out last night.

The drinks were decent—not particularly strong or memorable, but they were enjoyable and probably the highlight of the evening.

Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to expectations. The menu offered standard Hawaiian fare, but the execution was lacking. My poke bowl had barely any flavor, and the presentation felt rushed and uninspired. The kalbi was overcooked and tough, and it was served with cold rice—which was surprising and unappetizing for a dish that’s usually warm and comforting. The pork sandwich was another disappointment, missing both flavor and sauce, making it dry and forgettable.

Overall, while I appreciated the concept and was hopeful for a fun tiki dining experience, the food left a lot to be desired. I wouldn’t rush back...

Kaia’s in Danville is a nice spot for Hawaiian comfort food and has only been open for about three months — but they’re already knocking it out of the park. We kicked things off with one of my favorites, Spam Musubi, and it was spot-on delicious. My son went for the teriyaki chicken with rice, which even came with pineapple whip. At around $12 for the whole plate, it’s a great value and very kid-friendly.

For the main course, we had Kaia’s Island Kalbi Steak and the Cobb Salad — both fresh, flavorful, and satisfying. Dessert was the Hula Pie, and while nothing quite beats Duke’s in Waikiki, this one came close enough to have me daydreaming about the beach.

Allen, the GM, and the rest of the staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, which made the experience even better. Definitely takes me back to the islands — and gets me even more excited for our Hawaii trip next month. Highly...