Kono's Northshore — Restaurant in Oʻahu

This is a very good spot for a quick bite to eat that truly captures the essence of Hawaiian cuisine. It is a cute and smartly run local joint just across the street from a major shopping center in Kailua. Kailua, for the curious, is the nicer area in the vicinity of Honolulu. The Kalua pork is very tasty indeed. They have a happy hour in the mid-afternoon where if you buy a Kalua pork plate then you get a free hand-made fresh-squeezed limeade with your choice of flavor pairing. Sonic ain't got nothing on Kono's limeades. That is the truth. They have a large selection of milkshakes with many different tasty and exotic flavors. Disclaimer, all of their milkshakes start with a vanilla ice cream base and they add in natural flavoring using plants and fruit. Case in point, I got the mint Oreo cookie milkshake and they Blended fresh mint leaves in with the Oreos and the vanilla ice cream. While I was expecting a mint cookie type taste, the milkshake was surprisingly good, in my opinion. It is a small joint, as most local Hawaiian restaurants are, so just understand that there may not be seating available inside, but there are a couple of benches outside where you can enjoy your food. The server will even bring it to you if you wait outside. The restaurant is clean, the staff are very friendly, and they sell merch. My wife got a very nice Kono's coffee mug which, in her opinion, is ergonomically the best coffee mug she has probably ever purchased. They also sell shirts and hats. Prices are typical for Hawaii. If you're traveling to Hawaii from the Midwest or the South or somewhere else where prices seem normal and reasonable, then you may have some sticker shock when you eat your first meal out in town in Hawaii. However, for Hawaii prices, Konos' prices are...

I received an order from bitesquad. I wanted to support local businesses during this tough time. We have eaten at Kono's plenty of times before but this time it was terrible. We ordered nachos with toppings on the side and a burrito with chips on the side. Terrible portion sizes and NOT what we ordered. I attempted to call Kono's for 30 minutes after our order arrived, from 5:20 to 5:50 and their line was "busy" the entire time.

First, the side of chips was about 6 or 7 chips total. It was not even a handful (see picture). Then we received nacho chips with (with everything supposed to be on the side) burnt cheese on them which made them soggy. Defeated the purpose of toppings on the side. It was a side plate of chips with burnt cheese and sides of toppings. There was no pork (picture below). At all. None. There was a small side of pico de gallo (picture also below) and 9 slices of jalapenos. I paid 2.50 for a side of guacamole that wasn't even a tablespoon and 1.50 for a side of sourcream that was even smaller portion than that.

I am so disappointed. I wanted to give them a better review, but unfortunately they have possibly lost my business for good. Shame on them for the 12.99 plate you see below that cost them maybe...

THE BEST KALUA PIG EVER!

If you want the food without paying for the luau - go to Kono's. They have two locations, we went to the one in Kailua, in a small little town complex. It's cozy, several tables - we went late afternoon but can imagine it being busy and crowded during peak hours.

Food: 5/5 We ordered the slider trio and the Pork plate - both gave a heaping amount of food! The sliders had chorizo, bacon and pig with eggs! I mean, who doesn't love breakfast for lunch? The only feedback - biscuits were a bit dry (tasted like they were popped out of the can). The plate was great, came with salad, rice and a scrumptious guava sauce.

Drinks: - They don't have alcohol, but do have smoothies. If you're looking for alcohol, there are several craft taprooms within walking distant. Some have discounts to Kono's.

Service: 5/5 Staff was friendly and patient - we ask a lot of questions, and they answered everyone of them. The food also came out quick, which was a huge plus because we were hungry!

Ambiance: 5/5 It's great little spot - super casual. benches, tables,...