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Brown's Beach House
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
62 reviews for Brown's Beach House
Review Highlights
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"Highly recommended when you are on the Big Island." In 13 reviews -
"...main course we had the Crab Crusted Mahi Mahi ($43) and the..." In 2 reviews -
"Overall, this Fairmont is a beautiful property." In 14 reviews
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62 reviews in English
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Review from Susan H.
Waikoloa, HI
4/6/2012
We stop and enjoy the food and the atmosphere whenever we are on the Big Island. We never tire of the view and the food is consistently excellent no matter what we order. We do love the scallops and the mahi mahi although all of the fresh seafood on the menu is a good bet. The service at this restaurant is always outstanding. The staff always tries to accommodate any special requests and is always friendly,welcoming and the epitome of Hawaiian hospiality. I would suggest that you always call ahead for a reservation as this is a very popular place.We also always request Alice as our server whenever possible! We love Alice!
Also- just an fyi- this restaurant is at the Fairmont Hotel in the Mani Lani Resort- just up the road from Waikoloa Beach Resort. A great place for an appetizer and a drink to watch the fabulous sunsets.There is usually live music on the terrace bar as well as the great drinks and outstanding view.
Enjoy the island!! -
Review from Kimberly T.
Orlando, FL
1/18/2012
Our visit to Brown's started a little rocky ... the hostess seemed overwhelmed and maybe even a little clueless as to how to manage multiple people arriving for dinner at once, but once we were seated (we chose outside--highly recommend it) our server saved the entire experience. Iokua (Joshua in English) was amazing. He knew exactly the right amount of attention to give us and when to back off.
Service could only be topped by the delish food. From the appetizers (we got the scallops) to the entree (pork chop was the best I've ever had) to the Mud Pie for dessert, everything was rave-worthy.
Highly recommended if you're in the Mauna Lani area.
Tips: Make a reservation; sit outside if the weather is nice; remember: dinner service ends at 8:30. -
Review from Noah C.
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
So I'm finally getting around to finishing off my Big Island reviews...and it's fitting I do it with the last restaurant my wife and I tried, Brown's.
We came to Brown's to celebrate our one-year wedding anniversary. My original plan was to take my wife to the Canoe House at the hotel we were staying at, The Mauna Lani, which is where I spent many summers during my formative years. Unfortunately, Canoe House was closed the night we were there, so we switched over to Brown's.
It was windy as all hell the night we were there, which made outdoor seating kind of a bummer, but the front of house team was great about helping us out - they moved our table closer to the awning, and they also gave my wife a shawl to keep her warm. Nice touch.
The food was pretty awesome. My starter was the Kona Coffee braised short ribs. The coffee sauce added a creamy, chocolatey nuttiness to the beef, and the beef was also prepared with a nicely cooked portobello mushroom, which also soaked in and was enhanced by the coffee sauce. The short ribs themselves were cooked perfectly, tender and flaky.
For dinner I had the sustainable fish trio, which had butterfish in uni essence (buttery fish with a buttery uni sauce...Jesus wept while I ate this ), mahi-mahi in a coconut curry sauce (my least favorite, as the fish was a bit rubbery), and grilled ono in a vinaigrette, which was really nicely flavored. The flesh of the ono was also a bit tougher than I might've liked, but it was still great. The butterfish was the big winner, though. -
Review from Michelle G.
Scottsdale, AZ
5/22/2012
The food and ambience are both incredible here! We took the waiter's recommendation and had the Ahi Poke appetizer and absolutely loved it. The quality of the Ahi was amazing and unlike many other poke preparations, the flavors were not overwhelmed by sesame oil which seems to be a common downfall of this dish. I had the seafood linguine which had excellent flavor with each item of seafood and each different vegetable cooked to perfection. The light sauce was delicious and the portion was just perfect for a lighter meal selection. My husband had the mushroom risotto and it was absolutely fabulous. While definitely a heavier meal, it was probably one of the best risottos that I've ever had. We finished the meal with an Irish coffee from the dessert menu and really ended up wishing that we would have discovered this gem earlier on our trip so that we could experience it for more than one evening. We will definitely be back next time we're on the Big Island!
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Review from Toffer F.
Kapaau, HI
5/4/2012
We arrived to Browns right after a heavy rain. The hostess was quite rude and asked us to wait outside until they were finished re-arranging the restaurant to be undercover and she refused to let us wait under the awning. We headed over to the bar to wait and were informed that all of the seats were wet but no one offered to help us find a towel to sit on or even a rag to dry the seats off with. When we got to the table the service was prompt and courteous. The appetizer proportions were very small (although the waitress did warn us they would be). My wife's campachi entree was dry and fishy and although I ordered a pork chop medium it came very well done. After the entrees were served the staff was pretty scarce and did not check to see how the food was. I notified the waitress of the overcooked pork chop and she said she would tell the chef. When the sun set and it got chilly outside the other tables seemed to have been offered shoals to keep warm but the ladies at our table were passed over. It was the second sub-par experience I have had there and I will not be returning.
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Review from Aiko L.
Hayward, CA
12/1/2011
It's rare that I give any restaurant a 5 star review, because usually I find something I wasn't quite satisfied with. Not at Brown's. We ate here for our 1 year wedding anniversary because Canoe House at the Mauna Lani was closed. They accomodated our last minute reservation, which was a nice gesture. The shuttle from Mauna Lani took us to and from the Fairmont Hotel, where the restaurant is located.
So the entire day leading up to the dinner was super mega windy...to the point where I could barely walk in a straight line! Since the seating is mostly outdoors, it was a little cold and unsettling. The hostess offered me a pashmina, which I graciously accepted. Our server, Gail, was very friendly and knowledgeable. She offered me an heirloom tomato with something fancy (dressing) as an amuse bouche. For my carnivore husband, she gave him some shortrib thing. Both were good.
But before these items arrived, we were presented with the most delicious sun dried tomato aioli spread for our nice warm bread. I couldn't help stuffing myself with it, and wished I hadn't ordered anything so I could just eat that! In any case, I started with the kabocha bisque to warm my tummy. It was decadent and delicious. For my entree I chose the 5 mushroom risotto, and even though I thought was full from all that bread, I mostly finished my entire plate. It was just too good. We ended with a sorbet trio (raspberry and passion fruit + macadamia nut ice cream since they ran out of guava, I think) which was very refreshing.
Everything from start to finish was impeccable. With the night being SO windy, it could've been a disaster, but overall we were both very happy with how the dinner service went. We couldn't have had a better meal. A little on the pricey side, but expected, given the location and service. I would LOVE to come back. Thank you, Brown's, for treating us to one of the best dinners we've ever experienced! -
Review from Mike W.
Petaluma, CA
Updated - 4/30/2012
Update for April 2012. Still as good as I remember. Food was very good, service excellent and setting spectacular. Only downside was people bringing their young kids to dinner. Not really the place for young kids in my opinion.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/24/2010
We made reservations for Brown's during our October 2010 trip to the Big Island. Given that the… Read more »
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Review from David F.
Tustin, CA
11/14/2011 1 photo
We were fortunate to have the chef do sampler plates for appetizers that included all the finest. The sampler was top notch!
Then for our entree we had the filet along with the short braised beef and to top it off with lobster.
I guess we were very fortunate to be a special guest of the hotel and prepare us a great dining experience.
I've uploaded a picture of our entree, enjoy the pic as I will salivate seeing the picture. -
Review from Ryan P.
Saint Louis, MO
2/29/2012
Beautiful setting, solid service and fantastic food! We had the Poké and the scallop appetizers and both were terrific. For my dinner, I ordered the Crab encrusted Kono Kampachi and it was wonderful, fish was cooked perfect and as a whole it was a very rich an decadent dish. It's Hawaii so everything I pricey but in this case well worth it! A very romantic and beautiful dinner in an unbeatable location and atmosphere...everything you dream about when you dream of Hawaii.
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Review from Matt R.
Lorton, VA
8/11/2011
Ambience is 5+ stars. Food was devine. Service was the only thing lacking. Decent but not as attentive as the waitress should have been in a super fine dining restaurant.
Evening sunsets to die for.
Interesting drink with coffee, kahlua and sauza tequila. Th tequila was a miss. It should had been vanilla vodka and it would be heaven.
Szechuan filet was killer!! -
Review from Lizzy J.
Portland, OR
2/12/2012
Everything about this place was great. Our table was on the sand overlooking the ocean and our food was fresh and tasty! Would recommend checking this place out if you are in the area.
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Review from Ariel L.
5/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Brown's beach house serves good food at exorbitant prices. The cost alone would prevent me from returning here. Yes, they have a beautiful sunset. Yes, they have someone blowing a conch shell at sunset. Yes there is a wandering cute kitty waiting to be fed pieces of your fish dish. But call your credit card company in advance and ask them to raise the credit level on your card so your card doesn't get denied when you go to pay the bill.
Sheesh... -
Review from Joan T.
Parker, CO
12/27/2011
Great restaurant. Wonderful sunset view. Our only regret was that it is all outdoors and the wind was strong. Our whole stay had huge winds, so nothing unusual. We arranged ourselves so we were all facing it and didn't have to eat our hair. My husband's is short, so no problem there. Our waitress was divine. Lovely and so very sweet. She took marvelous care of us. The food is gorgeous. The drinks divine, except the Lilikoi martinis were still the best at Bamboo Restaurant. Still good, though. Everything was just wonderful. I say this after having eaten at the very best that the big island has to offer.
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Review from Judy P.
Scotts Valley, CA
3/19/2012
Had the most amazing experience! Everything, I mean everything was perfect. The food was out of this world, our waitstaff was superb, the sunset was gorgeous, everything was worth telling everyone on Yelp about. Will absolutely return, even stay at the Fairmont. Thank you.
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Review from HELEN K.
Alameda, CA
9/18/2011 4 photos
I made reservations a month in advance of our trip for my Husband's Birthday dinner at Brown's. When we got there we already knew the setting, the view would be absolutely beautiful! Service was great, our server was very attentive but laid back at the same time. He talked with us about our trip on the Big Island and the activities we had planned. We ordered the Scallop appetizer, it was amazing! We could have licked our plate!
My husband ordered the Lobster and Steak over Risotto. He loved the Lobster, but wasn't too pleased with his steak, he said it was a little over-seasoned. I ordered the Ono over fingerling potatoes and spinach. The Ono was well prepared and yummy, but my spinach and potatoes were over-seasoned as well. We had the Mud Pie for dessert (how could you go wrong?!) It was good.
Overall we really enjoyed the view, the service, and the appetizer. They were a little heavy handed with the salt on the entrees, but otherwise well prepared. If we return to the Brown's Beach House on another trip, I think we will just order some appetizers to share and have drinks and dessert. -
Review from Su-Lynn T.
New York, NY
11/22/2010 10 photos
This was one of the places I had made a reservation at prior to our vacation in the Big Island, and I was really glad I did so. There were so many places to eat especially at all the resorts, but the Fairmont Orchird has some of the best sunset views and they also had a sunset prix fixe on the menu for 59 pp. Considering that some entrees cost about that much, this was a pretty good deal.
The resort grounds are beautiful and the restaurant is alfresco dining, and we got a wonderful view at the front overlooking the small beach and ocean. Service was wonderful. I ended up not ordering from the prix fixe (as usual) and opted to go for the lobster with uni butter sauce and lemon risotto. Uni-butter sauce!?!? How could I refuse!?! The resulting meals were delicious. The lobster dish was sufficiently rich and tasty. My husband got the prix fixe and the delicious coconut shrimp appetizer was plenty to share between 2 people. He also go the wahoo entree which was good although not as good as mine :)
Dessert that came with the prix fixe was a pumpkin creme brulee which I didn't care for, but the hula pie I ordered was great, and totally hit the spot.
Sunset was amazing. I like how the fairmont has special picture spots which are lit with a spotlight, therefore if you take pictures during sunset, you wouldn't have to use flash and drown out the magnificent background. Some clever planning was used in designing the grounds for sure! Also there is free valet parking when you dine there.
For a splurge meal on the Big Island, I'd definitely recommended Brown's Beach House!Listed in: Foodies take on Big Island
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Review from Richard A.
Los Gatos, CA
1/24/2011
While we had driven to the hotel and then needed to walk down some steps and past a pool, the short hike was well worth it.
Ed, our server, was excellent. We liked the poke appetizer, the butterfish was very good and the kona ice cream pie was a great end to a fabulous meal. We also enjoyed the location with its view of the ocean and live entertainer.
We had a little one with us (18 months) and he also enjoyed his meal, although we needed to walk around a bit between the mail meal and dessert. This place was very kid friendly.
Before sunset, there was a fairly strong wind which tipped a wine glass at a nearby table and blew some of our bread and a menu off the table. Once the sun set, however, the wind settled down and we had our most memorable meal of this trip to the islands. -
Review from laura f.
12/27/2010
The fairmont orchid - literally steps from the beach, waves crashing, sea turtles lounging, and Browns right on the water.
We ate there twice over our 6 day stay and for some reason I just never really left satisfied.
The first item I had was the fish wrap. It lacked any sort of flavor. All I tasted was tortilla. Fries were excellent, though.
Second meal there I had a burger with avocado and crispy onion strings. Again, nothing really special. The fries were still good.
Our service on our second visit was extremely lacking - I had asked three times for a side of ranch and she only brought it out when I was completely finished with my meal.
For about 20 a head I may go elsewhere, but a perfect spot for a drink and watching the sun go down. -
Review from Matt H.
Alameda, CA
3/9/2012
High end, big hotel dining. If our table had been closer to the beach, our feet would have been wet. Good food. Fantastic service. It was the wife's birthday and I had requested a little something chocolaty and special for desert. They came through with a very nice presentation.
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Review from Tiffany K.
San Francisco, CA
1/1/2011 4 photos
After the sunset, this restaurant is a four-star. If we had seen the beautiful view, perhaps I'd rate it higher.
Pluses:
+ Casual attire. Sandals accepted. Outdoor seating, comfortable ambience with no pretense.
+ Great service. In typical Fairmont fashion, we were presented with breads, the complimentary chef's appetizer, and macaroons.
+ After dark entertainment by a live performer
+ Good food that met expectations, ranging from appetizers to fish.
Minus 1 star:
- The butterfish and opakapaka were good, but Bistro Yokohama in Kailua-Kona offered even better fish at half the price.
- The ice cream mud pie dessert wasn't anything special. It was basically overpriced ice cream in the form of a pie, but our waiter recommended it as it was easiest to share among four.
Overall, this Fairmont is a beautiful property. Few know that it used to be a Sheraton prior to its acquisition by Fairmont. The grounds are perfect for a post-dinner evening stroll under the starry night sky. -
Review from Rob T.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2010
When you think Fairmont, several words come to mind: "classy", "posh", "sophistication"...but of course you already know that and you probably do not need me to give you a review about the Fairmont, so I won't. I will, however, submit to you my review of the fabulous restaurant ... yes, I used the word fabulous... located on the grounds of the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii called Brown's Beach House, named apparently after the last ali'i, Francis Brown.
Now, I know what you're saying, the words "beach house" doesn't really fit into Fairmont's standard of "sophistication".....no?!?, ok, well it certainly got my attention. This restaurant is all about being outside, under the stars, next to the ocean, and with candles on the tables and tiki torches illuminating the restaurant makes the ambiance very romantic. When we went, soft dinner music was supplied by a local guitarist, nice! ... although, the one time he left to take a break, the restaurant filled his break with loud Jawaiian music...mood killer for sure!
The service was good. From time to time, I wondered if our server remembered us. It felt like we waited too long between meals, although the restaurant was quite busy so whatever.
The food was very good. When the menu offers a few organic items, I always start with good. How it was cooked, presented, and taste is the other attributes to my maddening formula. Suffice it to say, the food was very good - nothing that really stood out from the other nice restaurants I have had the liberty to have dinner at around the Kohala Coast area.
Overall, it was a nice restaurant. I enjoyed the ambiance for at least a short while. It was a little overpriced, but the food was good - not outstanding as I heard people say it was in the past. The service was okay, but very slow. I'm hoping the next time we visit the Fairmont the experience will fair better.
Happy eating! -
Review from Rich J.
9/25/2011
Great view of the sunset and good service, but for the price, the food was just okay. I do have to mention that the parmesian crusted scallops I had for my appetizer were really good but my entree and dessert left me underwhelmed.
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Review from Jen H.
Dublin, CA
10/1/2010 4 photos
I consider Brown's to be the best and most romantic restaurant on the Big Island.
I have had the great fortune of dining here three times now. The walk to Brown's itself is a beautiful adventure through its exquisite lobby, past the koi waterfall pond and the pool area.
The view alone is worth going for: a protected cove, a white sandy beach, gentle waves, palm trees swaying in the breeze, vibrant sunsets, and after dark you can even see jumping fish and eels in the cove! A restaurant with such a view probably doesn't have to be very good to draw guests but the food here is exquisite.
The chef uses locally grown, sustainable products including a variety of fresh seafood from the island waters and the finest mainland meats. We tried their special "Brown's Ali'i Experience:" You get a choice of one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert and a glass of J Champagne (excellent choice). All this for $59!
We had no problems making a reservation the day before. I recommend going right when it opens at 5:30 to catch the beautiful sunset (unlike Kona which is often overcast, the coast here has less clouds so the sunsets are exceptional). They seat closest to the water on a first come first serve basis, so there are no other tables between you and the excellent view when you show up at 5:30. We dressed up a little but it's not required.
The wait staff is professional, knowledgeable and attentive. Upon being seated we were served with a selection of three types of freshly baked breads: a hearty multi-grain, a baguette style, and a crispy lavosh, with a soft ramekin of fresh butter sprinkled with a small amount of the Hawaiian red lava salt. We received an Amuse Bouche from the chef - a delicate pairing of fresh fish in a wonton. I don't even remember what it was because I was so enthralled with the view and the kitty that comes out to greet each diner and politely request a piece of meat. If you don't like cats just ignore her and she'll go away. I love cats so I tried to give her tidbits of all of our great fish - oddly, she turned her nose up at the tiny bit of sashimi I left for her - leave it up to a Fairmont kitty to be picky!
Brown's has a great wine list that is several pages long with wines starting at $30 a bottle if you're watching your money on up to heftier prices for the extravagant. It also has several delicious and inventive cocktails.
As an appetizer I had the Crispy Curry Tofu, which was Japanese eggplant, asparagus, shiitake mushrooms and spinach in a Thai Curry Sauce. It was so light with such delicately balanced flavors I was already in heaven. As an entrée I sampled both the Lemon Balm Grilled Walu (with "Wow" Farms heirloom tomatoes, and broccolini in a Tamari soy lemon mustard vinaigrette on a bed of Forbidden Rice) and the Grilled Chipotle Pork Chop (with fingerling potatoes, organic bok choy, and sweet onion, in a candied pecan Hilo vanilla bean and pineapple reduction.) Both the Walu and the pork were fresh and flavorful. For dessert we had grilled plums on a bed of meringue which was also very delicious.
Right when the sun has gone down a local in ceremonial garb blows on a conch and runs along the perimeter of the coast lighting the torches. When he is done, another guy with a ukulele regales you softly with beautiful Hawaiian music (Iz style songs).
Depending on your price range and how much you like to eat and drink, you can easily spend from $80-200 per person. Between the view, the live music, the torch lighting ceremony and the equisite food, this splurge is a must do and is worth eating more frugally on other days. -
Review from Mike W.
Santa Barbara, CA
2/26/2012
This was everything I've come to expect from a Fairmont property. The food, service, and setting were impeccable. You can't miss!
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Review from Sonny Q.
Cedar Park, TX
9/13/2010
This place is absolutely avoidable. Slow, non-attentive service. Unremarkable/un-memorable food. WAAAAYYYY over-priced!
The view is great, and it's impossible to resist the urge to eat out on the sand while looking out at the beautful Hawaiian ocean. Chances are, if you're staying at the Fairmont Orchid (like us), you'll eat at Brown's once (like we did), and then you'll quickly learn your lesson.
Save your money and precious time on the island and go elsewhere. -
Review from Sean R.
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
2/17/2012
Best meal of our trip. Watched an incredible sunset, whales, tiki torch lighting while enjoying excellent food and service. Manager was a great presence and service was perfectly on when needed and restrained when not. It was THE perfect meal in THE perfect setting. I would use the term "once in a lifetime" but we plan on returning :)
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Review from Lizzie B.
10/11/2010
My husband and I ate here the night after our wedding while on the Big Island, we stayed near by at Mauna Lani Point. Out of all the restaurants that we dined at while in Hawaii, this was by far our favorite. The food, the view, and atmosphere was perfect.
We started with the Keosavange Sea Scallops - wonderfully cooked and delightful. He had the special, a Salmon Curry which he thoroughly enjoyed (and he's Southasian partially raised in Sweden, so he's particular about his curry and his salmon). I had the Spiny Lobster Tail with asparagus and risotto - very yummy... I miss it every time I think about Hawaii and currently doubt I will find a comparable lobster in the near future. For dessert, he had the grilled Banana (with sorbet) and I had the Milk chocolate cake with ganache and mango.
We paired our entire meal (except the Kona coffee that we had after dessert) with the French Viognier, Triennes Saint Fleur.
This is a definite must you will be on the Kona side of the Big Island (or have a rental car and don't mind driving from Hilo... we drove all around the island, back forth alot)... make sure you make your reservations one to two days before hand if you want to dine at sunset... which of course you do!
We showed up a little early to our reservation and were seated right away, at perhaps one of the most prime tables. There is a larger table set away from the main dinning area, ideal for large parties or wedding ensembles.
The price is about the same as the majority of restaurants in the area for dinner.
Our waiter was very attentive.... as was the little Kitty with expensive taste... she turned nose up at one of our neighboring tables who offered her some short rib and opted for some of my husbands left over Salmon scraps.
Valet Parking for Guests of Brown's Beach House is free at the Hotel! -
Review from Patrick W.
San Francisco, CA
7/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mahalo to my Yelpers out there for this 5 star treat. Took my girl out here for her bday dinner. Upon walking into the courtyard of the Fairmont, the sunset, the beach, a romantic setting brought a smile to both our faces. Score! Dinner setting is out by the poolside, romantic. Food was just amazing. I don't think you could order a wrong dish. I ordered the grilled Walu which had a buttery texture. For dessert, a local favorite, mud pie. Service was good, but I could tell the staff was tiring by the seventh inning. Had a real nice time here. Would recommend others for the food and location!
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Review from Nish N.
6/10/2008
We ate here on the first night we arrived, and it's probably the best restaurant inside the Fairmont. The view of the ocean as the sun sets is definitely one of the highlights (as was hearing Earth, Wind & Fire, who were playing a private show for a Bain Consulting conference at the hotel?!?), but the food is not to be dismissed.
In fact, I'd go there again in a heartbeat. We chose to go with the chef's tasting menu, which is always a fun introduction to any finer restaurant, so I'd recommend that option to start with. Our server, Jenera, was a sweetheart, as well, definitely a nice welcome to the Island!
Oh, make sure to try their TK Tini cocktail, it's got quite the spicy punch, but unforgettable!Listed in: The Big Island
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Review from Ping P.
East Bay, CA
7/21/2011
three words: Do Not Miss.
make your reservation to coincide with sunset. Order your favorite beverage and kick back for a fabulous meal in paradise. -
Review from Thu S.
Mountain View, CA
11/24/2010
I think this definitely would have been a solid 4 star experience had the service not been so sub par that day. Our server did apologize profusely at the end of the meal for all the mistakes but I have a feeling even if they were fully staffed and didn't make the mistakes with the order, that there still was an overall lack of attention to detail in the service that doesn't live up to the caliber of 5-star dining.
FOOD: The food, once cooked properly was actually excellent and pretty much flawless. It took about 30 minutes from finishing our appetizers (1st course) until the next course came out which happened to be the main entrees. So besides completely forgetting the 2nd course, they totally overcooked my husbands Surf n' Turf. His filet was well done... close to jerky, instead of med. rare. We decided to forgo the 2nd course even though they offered to bring it out after our main course. We did order dessert but the experience was so spotty that I have no recollection of eating it let alone what it tasted like.
SERVICE: Very slow and unattentive. As mentioned above they had either entered our order incorrectly or messed up the firing order. We ordered a bottle of wine that no one ever really came to check up on so we helped ourselves the entire duration of the meal. Silverware that was brought to us in between meals was sloppily strewn about the table as if it was Denny's.
AMBIANCE: I just don't have much luck with outdoor dining (see my experience at Etoile). It's all outdoors and right on the beach which is great... if the wind doesn't pick up. Otherwise you will find yourself strategically placing your glassware under the dinnerware all night, so that they don't get knocked over. It's also a difficult task to not eat your own hair. -
Review from Kimo S.
I have mixed feelings about this place which is why I'll stick with a four star review. The main issue I had was with the initial wait, we showed up 10-minutes early and were told that our table wasn't ready. There were quite a few empty tables under the roofed area but they said about 15-minutes. We waited with three other couples and about 20-25 minutes later were finally seated.
We found out that they try to seat all guests with views of the ocean under the open sky and not the roofed portion, for a more special dining experience. I agree that it was worth the wait but it would have been nice to be told that was the reason, instead of being forced to wait while looking at empty tables.
The food though, was delicious. I started with the braised short ribs with risotto ($14) and my fiance had the ahi poke ($16), prepared table side. Both dishes were great but I thought mine was fantastic and could have been an entree with a larger portion.
For the main course we had the Crab Crusted Mahi Mahi ($43) and the Lemongrass Risotto ($28). Turns out the risotto was the true winner for entrees, it had huge hamakua mushrooms in it and was just delicious at every bite. The mahi was good, I was expecting Mama's Fish House (on Maui) quality but it was still good.
Overall the entree prices hover in the $40 price range and appetizers in the $15 range, not overpriced at all considering the ambiance and that you're in a resort. I would like to point out that the tasting menu was $85 but if you come between 5:30pm - 6:00pm they have a 3-course meal for $49.
The views are spectacular though with almost all the tables directly under the stars with amazing views of the beach and ocean. A very romantic spot, great food (overall) just make sure to check ahead of time if they are running behind on seating. -
Review from Sean M.
Edmonds, WA
6/4/2007
We had our wedding dinner here on the grassy knoll next to the main dinning area. Brown's dedicated a lone server to our party of 10. They even created a menu just for our dinning party. (Hmmm... lone server on the grassy knoll...)
The experience was amazing. With tiki torches lighting the table the food came out course after course. The food was good, but not as great as the over all experience. Service was impeccable, but you pay for the experience. We are talking easily over $150 per dinner. Not a small price to pay but for a wedding dinner it was memorable and well worth it. I'd give it five stars but for the price we paid, the food could have been a little better. I'm allergic to crab and a couple of items on the menu had crab. They substituted, but not with the same high quality items. -
Review from Kristen S.
Chicago, IL
4/7/2010
This is a wonderful restaurant. The staff here was more than accommodating about my gluten allergy, the view was incredible, and the food was delicious. I couldn't ask for anything more.
Reservations were a breeze - we used Open Table.
We watch the sunset from Browns and it was breathtaking. The great things about Browns is that it isn't "inside" of the Fairmont Orchid. The restaurant is through the resort near the beach by the water. After dinner, you can take a little stroll and see where the Hawaiian green sea turtles play nearby (but they are endangered so stay away!).
When we were seated, the server, Kristen, immediately noted that I had a gluten allergy and walked me through the menu. She gave me substitutions and changes along the way. My meal - delicious fish and fresh veggies - was gluten free, healthy, and locally grown. Perfection!
My husband had a steak which he enjoyed immensely. He was still talking about it on the plane right home to Chicago!
Highly recommended when you are on the Big Island!Listed in: Big Island of Hawai'i
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Review from Lauren C.
San Francisco, CA
7/2/2011
My husband and I had a wonderful dinner here the other night. The view was fantastic, our server was incredibly nice and helpful, and the food was, of course, amazing. I ordered the surf and turf special, and it didn't disappoint! Great spot for a romantic evening.
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Review from Ken S.
Costa Mesa, CA
9/20/2010
Food was very tasty. We opted to not have the Prix Fixe and chose off the normal menu because of the better variety of choices. The service was a bit slow and the outdoor setting, while beautiful, was very windy.
The food was so good though that any negatives were forgotten as soon as i had that first bite of Onagi. -
Review from Amy S.
Venice, CA
7/2/2009
Great view. Very Pricey. Food ok. My corn bisque was good--the salad was meh. My steak was tender but over salted and spiced. The greasy potato/hashbrown thing that came with the steak was wierd. The cabrenet wine was not so great and $14 per glass.
Dessert was WONDERFUL. I would go back for the view and dessert only. Sadly, I feel this way about a bunch of the restaurants in the area. Apparently, no one knows how to cook anything correctly other than dessert around here. -
Review from David A.
Sisters, OR
2/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Do not believe the wonks who think they write for the NY Times!! This restaurant is world class (and we've eaten in many all over the world). Yes, the price is higher than average, but then so was the food, the wait staff and most of all the ambiance. Treated to an awesome sunset, we enjoyed the freshest local fish very creatively prepared and saying it was delicious is an understatement. Our server accommodated our every request and the service was impeccable. Any restaurant can have an off day, but when these folks are hitting on all cylinders as they were the night we were here, you absolutely cannot have a better experience on the big island.
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Review from Tommy T.
Seattle, WA
5/1/2011
Save your money!! Do not spend your hard earned money at this place. If it was half the price it may be ok. Not much detail just super over rated
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Review from Lauren R.
Raleigh, NC
5/6/2010
Nothing special about the food. Husband had the encrusted mahi mahi, which was on special and felt pushed on us. I had the pork tenderloin with pineapples and maui onions. The onions and pineapples were good. The glaze was great. The meat was mediocre.
The problem with oceanside resort restaurants is simple: they are overpriced and positioned for suckers. The food served there is the pinnacle, and the rest of the resort restaurants get the leftovers for their menus. So we paid for versions of plates that were served elswehere at the resort for less money.
Good things: dessert (carmelized banana crostini with avacado fluff and pineapple sorbet) and Kona coffee.
