Kona Tap Room — Restaurant in Hawaii

I have spent many years working in the restaurant industry in Hawai'i. It is a major contributor of financial income to the islands of Hawai'i. My husband is an active duty service member serving in the U.S. Navy. During his travels, he always requests to stay at a Hilton. He loves the services and amenities provided. Having said that, Irene at the Kona Tap Room is hands down the rudest server I have ever experienced. She rolled her eyes at us when we made requests that were out of her capabilities. She recited antiquated policies regarding the alcohol stacking laws in Hawai'i. It is now my understanding that the laws are county specific. However, I was unaware of this policy as I remember when it changed in Oahu. A simple courtesy explanation of these rules would have sufficed. Yet, Irene rolled her eyes after she asked me if I did not like my beer and if I was planning to finish it. Shortly after, I caught her complaining about us to a young blonde haired server who was looking at us throughout the whole rant session. As humans, we all understand when someone is talking about us. When I said Miss Irene, you don't have to talk about us anymore we're leaving, she never once denied it. Instead she asked how we intended to pay our tab. Mind you, we had not insulted her or been unkind to her. Actually my husband had given her a $20 tip for simply breaking a $20 bill to tip the live musician. Her behavior and attitude were 100% unwarranted or deserved. One would wonder if negative experiences much similar to this are the reason this establishment does not have...

My recent visit to Kona Tap Room left me quite disappointed. While the ambiance and drink selection were decent, the service and billing experience were subpar.

Firstly, the wait service was incredibly slow. It took an unusually long time to get attention from the staff, and even longer to receive our orders.

However, the real issue arose when I received my bill and noticed I was overcharged. When I brought this to the attention of the staff, I expected a swift and apologetic resolution. Unfortunately, my concern was met with little regard. It felt like my complaint was brushed aside, and there was little effort made to rectify the error.

Moreover, there seemed to be a misunderstanding regarding the pricing of certain drinks. Casamigos and Cazadores are distinct brands, and there should be no confusion regarding their prices. It's essential for customers to pay for what they ordered, without being overcharged or having discrepancies in pricing due to mix-ups.

Overall, while the Kona Tap Room may have some positives, such as its atmosphere and drink selection, the poor service and billing experience overshadowed any enjoyment I might have had. I hope the management takes these concerns seriously and works towards improving their customer service and billing accuracy...

I'm a huge, long-time fan of Kona Brewing Company and their various beers (Wailua Wheat my all-time favorite). In Sept 2016 when I last visited the Hilton Waikoloa Village, I was pretty excited to see signs when I had left saying "Kona Brewing Company coming soon" at the hotel: replacing the former Malolo Lounge.

In late May 2018 when I returned, I was disappointed when I visited this tap room for the first time to learn that it is NOT actually affiliated with Kona Brewing Company- they "have all of their swag and beers, but not actually run and owned by KBC." Prices on drafts are outrageous at $9 for 16 oz. for the standard selection of beers that Kona has.

I really hate to say this, but based on price only, you are MUCH better off buying a 6-pack at Target in Kona for only $8.99, or even at the Queens shops in Waikoloa Village for $10.99, versus going here. Selection is great, but you're paying big bucks for...