The original pub of Kona Brewing, which was founded in Kailua-Kona in 1994. It's in the Old Industrial Area and serves hand-spun pizzas, pūpū, and rotating "Backyard Batch" beers you can only get here, with seating on an outdoor lānai. A $2 million renovation of the entrance, adding a beer garden, started in June 2026, and the pub is staying open throughout.
Why we love it
The pub-only Backyard Batch beers are the reason to come. Skip what you can buy at home and order those.
What to expect
You reach the pub through a parking lot on Pawai Place, and inside there’s a community-style bar, indoor tables, and the popular outdoor lānai. The 1998 building was made with reclaimed materials, including a solid mahogany beam that washed ashore and metal from an old coffee roasting building. The 30,000-square-foot brewery that opened next door in 2020 now does the brewing. The menu leans on island ingredients: fire-roasted pizzas such as the wild Aliʻi mushroom, ahi poke and coconut kinilaw from ʻUlaʻula Fish Co., and kalua pork tacos on ube tortillas. A flight is the easiest way to work through the taps.
Know before you go
- Reservations
- Book a table online, because waits are common. Parties of 8 or more get an automatic 20% gratuity, so large groups should reserve in advance.
- Construction
- A roughly $2 million front-entrance renovation began June 22, 2026, adding a beer garden, a new host stand, and an updated Growler Shack. The pub stays fully open, and work is scheduled outside operating hours.
- What to order
- Ask your server what’s pouring in the pub-only Backyard Batch series. Non-drinkers have Kona Brewing non-alcoholic lager and ale and Kōlea hop water.
- Specials
- Kamaʻāina, military, and first responders get 15% off food when dining in, not on holidays. There’s live music Tuesdays and Fridays at 5pm.
- Brewery tours
- Tours run daily from noon to 5pm at the separate Kona Brewery next door. Book ahead.
- Rules
- Only certified service animals are allowed inside, per Department of Health rules. You must be 21 or older to order alcohol.
Illustrative photo — not taken at Kona Brewing Kona Pub.
