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Basik Acai
Categories: Food Juice Bars & Smoothies Restaurants Vegetarian Food Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Juice Bars & Smoothies, Vegetarian, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt [Edit]
75-5831 Kahakai RdKailua-Kona, HI 96740
(808) 930-3020
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 8 am - 4 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Breakfast
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
42 reviews for Basik Acai
Review Highlights
"Definitely a must stop for any visitor to the Big Island."
(in 7 reviews)
"This was by far the best acai bowl I've ever had."
(in 3 reviews)
"Its like a tree house over looking the ocean."
(in 3 reviews)
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42 reviews in English
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Review from Seri L.
Oakland, CA
12/3/2011 3 photos
I'm not sure how authentic it tastes since I had never heard of an acai bowl before this, but I can tell you that it was damn delicious.
I would have this for breakfast everyday if I could. Think of it like a acai smoothie in the consistency of something between a smoothie and ice cream, topped with fresh fruit and granola.
The small was plenty for everyone in our group - any bigger and it would be too filling and cold. I would recommend eating it there to enjoy it in the chilled bowl. We ate it at the booth upstairs one morning and on the tables at the ground level the other morning.
Staff was very friendly and helpful. It was $8.50 for most of the small bowls (Brazilian was $6.50) and $12.50 for the large bowls (Brazilian was $8.50 for large). They don't have coffee (they do have yerba mate), but they don't mind if you bring in your own coffee from another place (Kona de Pele is just down the street).
Keep in mind that I am not a huge fan of big American breakfasts, but if that's what your'e into, go to Big Island Grill or Island Lava Java. -
Review from camille h.
Oakland, CA
1/13/2012
Though we weren't chased out by the staff for showing up early (sorry, NS), we got plenty of 'tude from our cashier. If we wanted to deal with surly hipsters, we would've stayed in the Mission.
That being said, the bowls are great. Yummy, high-quality ingredients that fill you up sans the overstuffed feeling.
I recommend this place (albeit begrudgingly). Especially to those fruit lovers who are thicker-skinned than I.
Shout out to Da Poke Shack for employing the winning (and apparently secret) formula of good food + friendly staff. -
Review from N S.
San Francisco, CA
12/3/2011
Violence threatened by aggressive staff member.
Ok it's sad to write this as I loved their acai and fruit mixes, however it seems my love of their product is what caused an unfortunate incident with their customer service today.
We had been here 3 times over the last 3 days and kept going back because it was good. This however ended up being a bad thing (apparently).
I'm going to write it exactly how it was, period: Today we went past at 7.30 am for some breakfast on the way out for a days drive. I pulled up in the car while my wife went to see if they were open. She went upstairs to see as she could hear someone up there and shortly after came back down to say they don't open until 8 am after speaking with a female staff member up there. I cheekily told her to go back and tell them that her husband is begging....... you never know maybe they would make one. No sooner had she tuned around and made her way up the stairs to ask did I see out of the corner of my eye standing at a car in the car park was a guy that I had seen working in there one or two of the times we had been. He was watching my wife go back up and had this really really angry look on his face and ran in after her! Shortly after they both came back down and clearly he was not impressed. She got in the car and told me he was annoyed with us because they were not open yet. As we were taking off I told him to take a chill pill. He then started chasing after our car abusing us and looking for a fight, and as I drove off onto the main street I could see in my rear view him giving us the 1 finger yelling 'yeah you better drive off'. In other words he wanted to fight.
So our only crime? repeat business spending our money there because we liked their product only to be threatened with violence by this man. If this is an employee the owner should fire him immediately. If this is the boyfriend of the owner she should find a new boyfriend. If this is the husband she needs to counsel him on how not to affect business relations like this, and if it was the owner - man you have no idea how to react to customers and run a business. Sorry we liked the product so much we tried to order one before opening. Rightly or wrongly it was not quite appropriate to react like this and threaten violence.
5 star down to 1 star. It is a shame this has reflected on the business, other nice staff, and great product. Aggressive and violent staff member is never acceptable. -
Review from Imi P.
Kailua-Kona, HI
2/3/2012
I am a loyal fan of The Islander. A little bit of everything. Sweet, crunchy, wholesome, healthy!
Casual setting. Yumminess. -
Review from Vanessa H.
Reseda, CA
1/2/2012
Deeelicious! I had The Drifter, and it was perfectly satisfying, without feeling heavy afterwards. I'd felt like I ate some really fresh, healthy, delicious food. The little shack is so charming, and I can't wait to go back to try other bowls!
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Review from Norm H.
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Simply perfect. If you want a healthy fresh breakfast to start your day go here. Best place to get an Acai bowl anywhere.
You even have an ocean view while enjoying some fruity treats. My only gripe would be price but you pay for the quality and it's Hawaii.
Come check it out you won' be disappointed. It doesn't matter what bowl you try they are all good. I usually add extra pineapple on top for a dollar. -
Review from marina b.
Oakland, CA
The most original and healthy breakfast on the island.
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Review from Kimberly S.
San Mateo, CA
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Trying to stay healthy on vacation is not easy, but with Basik Acai, I would have no problem staying on the healthy track! And I have Yelp to thank for that =)
I am a texture girl and I want it all - smooth with crunchy, sweet, slightly salty toppings. Most if not all of their options have all these things but the drifter caught my eye - strawberries, cacao nibs, sliced almonds, granola, and honey. The bf and I shared this bowl of deliciousness as a mid-morning snack, but it can easily be replaced for a meal it's so filling. And no guilty, sluggish feeling after eating! Oh, I wish I went here more than once! Even more, I wish there was a place like this on the mainland.Listed in: Frozen Delights
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Review from Judie Rhed Y.
Brooklyn, NY
9/7/2011
Yay Chill Vibes! My smoothie with cacao-nibs swashed in almond milk. Like nectar of yumminess to top off an sunshined filled Kona morning... to be served with a genuine smile from the smoothie-arista!
Loved the tree-house feel to the upstairs seating and ceiling art/ photo to gaze up to. Additional seating outside down stairs. Can't wait to return and get their cool t-shirt... or is my dear friend from Kona packaging it back to me along with their granola bowls... hmm dreams can come true.. -
Review from Keliko T.
Kailua-Kona, HI
1/23/2012
Had a smoothie with acai and cacao nibs, Very tasty. They were also at the Kona Chocolate festival and had one of, if not the best, entry there. The service from SOME of the cashiers can have plenty of attitude but when I went there recently the workers were nice. I would pick up your food and leave; it doesn't have a lot of atmosphere and the wifi doesn't work well on my iPad. But the breakfast bowls are good and it's a cheap breakfast considering the rest of the Drive.
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Review from Joo S.
Oh. Em. Gee. This was by far the best acai bowl I've ever had. Thanks to a recommendation by Mel L., I went to Basik Acai on my recent family trip to Kona. Thankfully it was only 5 min away from where we were staying. I had to make a phone order since we were in a rush, so I asked the guy what their most popular acai bowl was. His answer was something along the lines of, "It seems like it's the Islander, although I don't really know why." I was like, great, make me six of those and I'll be there in 5.
I soon found out why the Islander was so dang popular. He didn't know why??? What the?! It was so good that I ended up finishing my 16 oz regular + my brother's leftovers. And this was after I already ate breakfast. Yes I'm a pig. Anyway back to the acai. The Islander consists of the usual acai blend with hemp milk, coconut milk, bananas, strawberries, coconut flakes, and goji berries, drizzled in honey. I didn't know there was such thing as hemp milk, but the addition of that plus the coconut milk made the acai so smooth and creamy. You can't taste the coconut milk in it, but it's so great with the acai. I think they have six other bowls to choose from, but I can't stop dreaming about the next time I'll have another Islander bowl.
Some of the other people that tried the Islander (visiting from Cali) were like, I'm gonna have this every morning for breakfast! I was bummed that I tried it on my last day there because I would've definitely wanted it every day too!
Basik Acai, if you're reading this, please consider opening up shop in Oahu! My taste buds are begging you! -
Review from Nalu H.
Hilo, HI
7/29/2011
Best Acai bowl on the Island hands down. The staff is very friendly and helpful and going there always makes my day a little brighter. It's a great spot to relax and have a smoothie or a bowl and they always play a good mix of backround music. Local art is on the walls and the ambiance is laid back and welcoming.
Always a great place for outstanding nourishing real food that will make your bodies cells sing and enhance your health and well being ! -
Review from Patrick M.
Seattle, WA
1/11/2012
We went here twice and between the two of us got the Drifter, the Banyan, and the Kiluea bowls. Neither of us had anything like this before and we were really impressed. The bowls were creative and delicious and the people working there were all very friendly. The acai mixture was definitely a little different but very tasty. It was a little pricey, but given the ingredients it was worth it. Great way to start the day!
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Review from Nari H.
Wheaton, IL
6/6/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This acai place is LEGIT. It's the real deal, tastes great, and reminds me of Brazil. My only gripe would be the hours they're open (closed by 4PM on most days and also on Sundays) and it can be expensive (thus, I have to limit how many times I actually get to go). But don't get me wrong, it's DELISH and totally worth going.
They need more places like this! -
Review from Jennson M.
Brooklyn, NY
11/20/2011
This was one of the most memorable eats while in Hawaii. It was great to start the day with a refreshing, filling, and extremely delicious acai bowl. I am a big peanut butter fan, so really enjoyed the Banyan bowl. We came three times during our week-long visit to the Big Island and also tried a number of other bowls, all of which were quite amazing.
We got there first thing in the morning, and service was a bit slow, but definitely with a smile. Later visits were quite a bit quicker.
I only wished there was one closer! -
Review from AAA Massage C.
Kailua-Kona, HI
8/9/2011
I have tried them all but my favorite is the Banyan Bowl, I literally have taken over a dozen people to Basik, and it's now everyone's favorite! We take Every Occasion and make it an Opportunity to get bowled! Yumm Yumm Yumm, Besides the yumm, it's upbeat music, friendly faces and Ocean view makes it thee BEST Breakfast spot in Kailua-Kona, Jamie and Derek have done an Awesome job at keeping the place simple, and in their scope. The stick to the Basics, which is good Quality Food. If you are feeling under the weather send someone over to get you an Acai bowl the AntiOxidant Rich bowl will jumpstart your immune system too.
Coconut Girls Love Basik!!! -
Review from Lilah M.
San Diego, CA
10/15/2011
For my first experience, it wasnt as good as I was hoping. The consistency of the acai itself was soupy, and somewhat bland. The price was steep. What I did like is the creative combinations they offered. When you add all the other stuff, it makes it more enjoyable. I had the Islander. I would like to go back and try the Kilauea (I think), everyone seemed to be ordering it.
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Review from Jaime K.
San Jose, CA
8/19/2011
Oh so good. Just returned from vacation in Kona and had Basik Acai twice! Would've had it more if time had permitted. I had the Islander bowl both times and it was deelish, full of berries and coconut. The small is huge, I can't even imagine what the large is like. I loved the treehouse atmosphere. Total chill spot worth checking out.
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Review from jamah d.
San Diego, CA
9/11/2011
Best acai bowl ever! We tried the Kilauea & the Puna bowl... absolutely delcious, and oh so good for you. Mahalo!!
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Review from Stache M.
San Jose, CA
9/14/2011
Found this place thru yelp was not let down. Staff was very friendly and very helpful explaining just what it is that is served at Basik Acai. My wife had "The Islander" which the staff recommended and I ordered "The Waterman". Both were excellent, the mixture and texture of the granola and bananas not to mention the berries and coolness Acai paste as its base was a delicious treat with each bite. Definitely a must stop for any visitor to the Big Island. Good food, helpful staff, great view, and good music. Can't get any better then that.
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Review from Morrgan j.
Paia, HI
5/19/2011
Best Place to get a smoothie.
Don't go to Mcdonalds and get a hot dog shake- Don't do it.
From my experience- this is the only place on the Alii Strip to get something healthy +Love + best strawberries ever.
Good! -
Review from Julie Z.
Kailua-Kona, HI
9/29/2011
Love their bowls..very tasty, healthy and AWESOME. The owners Derek and Jaime are very helpful and are committed to making the best choices for their ingredients.
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Review from Lexi A.
Kailua-Kona, HI
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this place. I can't get enough. Freshfruit, healthy granola, and big servings at a very affordable cost. Delicious any time of day!
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Review from Rachel E.
Denver, CO
9/17/2010
My biggest regret from our just-ended Big Island vacation? Not enough Basik! (Err, and perhaps the tan could've been a tad darker...)
But our smoothies on day 2 and Acai bowls on days 4 and 7 were among my favorite eats. Such perfect Island fare: healthy, fruity, and refreshing to boot. My personal fave was the Banyan Bowl; this one had me at peanut butter and bananas...
And such a simple and smart concept... I almost want to bring my own version of Basik back to CO.
Oh, and had I spent more time trying one of everything, perhaps I might've bid the Island adieu with a Hawaiian love interest... (which clearly is regret #3...). A certain Basik Boy was quite a Big Island Babe... ;)
PS- Cash only. -
Review from Diedra S.
Kailua-Kona, HI
8/7/2011
i am a big fan of Basik Acai!!!! been there a couple times and there acai bowls are perfect for the type of weather we have here and love the healthy aspect of them too! DELICIOUS!!!
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Review from Carolyn P.
San Jose, CA
7/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is awesome! Found it on yelp before my last trip to the Big Island. The guys who own it are friendly and created a really cool atmosphere. Its like a tree house over looking the ocean. The bowls are super delish. The regular/sm. are the perfect size, but if you are really hungry get the large! Tasty and good for you too! Just off the beaten path of tourists on the main strip in Kona.
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Review from k k.
Kamuela, HI
7/15/2011
I'd eat here all the time if it were near our house. Delicious healthy acai bowls with great fruit and topping combos. You feel fully energized after eating here.
They have a sweet view of the water and great island art vibe inside. Good music, local paintings and photography. The staff is all friendly young locals who are living the dream.
Highly recommended to anyone passing through Kona or looking for something healthy and delicious. -
Review from Karen N.
Kailua-Kona, HI
10/26/2011
I just tried an acai bowl for the first time today. I am having a hard time believing something that is this good is HEALTHY FOR YOU too?!? I will be returning often to try out all the different bowls.....so far The Drifter was wonderful! Mahalo!
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Review from Paul M.
12/14/2009
This is a juice bar, cash only, open from 8.00am - 7.00pm.
It is near the parking lot to Huggo's, and it is a marvellous place to sit and read the paper, and grab an acai-berry smoothie whilst you are waiting for the bar to open so that you can poision your body with alcohol.
It has a really cool tree-house vibe to it, the service is friendly, it's all locals as it is slightly off the beaten tourist path and the menu is extensive - and oh yeah - so healthy so you do feel really good and deserving of that first beer.Comment from James R. of Basik Acai 6/8/2010
New hours are Monday - Saturday 8-4. We also accept Visa &… More » -
Review from Sarah L.
Kailua-Kona, HI
4/7/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Great bowls, tons of options. These guys are top-notch. Definitely one of my fav places to go in the morning/early afternoon whenever I'm home.
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Review from chrissy a.
Bristol, CT
5/21/2011
My fav thing I tried on my Big Island vaca was the acai bowl! Very fresh and filling. The staff was very nice too. wish there was more places like this around.
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Review from Scott E.
Los Angeles, CA
9/29/2011
Amazing! Just dropped by for a Acai bowl and a smoothie. Great place and nice people! If they get a juicer in there they win all!
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Review from Micah P.
Honolulu, HI
1/5/2011
If you are in Kona and looking for something refreshing and healthy then look no further. You can't eat spam, eggs and rice and surf comfortably. You can however "get bowled" at Basik and then get bowled later without stomach cramps. I had the "Banyan Bowl" which was suggested by the guy behind the counter. Was very hearty and delicious. The key to any Acai bowl is the freshness and ripeness of the fruit. Banana was perfectly ripe and local. Vibes are right upstairs overlooking Kona bay. The best Acai bowl I've ever had in the best location. If you're in Kona looking for smoothies or healthy breakfast check out Basik it's the local's choice.
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Review from Khoi N.
Vista, CA
7/8/2011
so amazing and feels so healthy
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Review from Brittany M.
Gainesville, GA
2/22/2011
I wish I could take it home with me. I love Basik Acai and I have craved and bowl every day since I first tried it. Basik Acai is the best! Mmmm... I really wish there were more of them. You need to take advantage of having this place while you can. You won't regret it.. obviously.
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Review from Tangee A.
Hawaii, HI
4/27/2010
Basik Acai... AMAZING!! Love the location and love the acai bowls!! We're addicted and making it a daily stop!! Come and try it and you'll be addicted too!!
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Review from Bill D.
Santa Cruz, CA
6/9/2010
Stoked to have Basik Acai as an option on the Big Island and will be making a lot of use of it this summer.
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Review from Tait R.
Saratoga, CA
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Review from Savannah G.
Honolulu, HI
8/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
Pretty good! Not too fond of the granola... I've had better. Definately good when your vacationing here and you're sick of heavy breakfasts...I'd be willing to try it again.
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Review from Rupi C.
Sacramento, CA
5/7/2010
New owners since my last visit here a year ago. They've streamlined the place, created more acai bowl options and cut costs a bit...all of this combined with the great location, relaxed feel and deliciously refreshing acai bowls, makes for a great stop in an otherwise tourist-heavy area of the big island. Highly recommended...
