Lacey "Face" H.'s Profile

This place makes amazing food. Managed to eat her twice during our short 5 day trip to the island. The rundown...

Breakfast:
Ordered Drag It Thru the Garden (Overhard eggs and cheddar cheese on a toasted croissant, with fresh arugala, onions, sliced tomatoes and avocado). The sandwich comes with ham, but they were happy to substitute an additional egg instead. Yumm! I loved everything about this breakfast. The fresh sides paired with the buttery croissant were very satisfying..

Dinner:
Husband and I split the margarita pizza. We had a delightful evening sitting on the front porch, under the stars, munching on the thin crust and listening to killer live music (Thursday's performance was incredible!!)

Ambiance:
It's hard to beat an unobstructed view of the ocean on a sunny day.

Cons:
If I had to find one negative, it would be that Island Lava Java is BOYB. We were told that island rules state that a restaurant may not serve alcohol if they do not have an enclosed dining area. I say, put up a tiny fence and make the money back in beer and wine sales.

My husband and I were sick of burgers and fries, and scoured the area for a good sushi place. Seiji Brew Garden is tucked inside of a busy shopping area on Alii Drive. There are signs all over the building with "Sushi" and an arrow pointing down, and a beautiful sign on Alii Drive to draw people in. The place is small and quiet - just what we needed after a day of sightseeing. In addition to the extensive standing menu, there were also specials written on the wall. My husband opted for the tuna special, and I got the dragon roll. The sushi chef was a master of his craft, and made us a delectable meal. Halfway through our miso soup we noticed a small jar on the table filled with spices (orange peel, chilies, etc.). Turned out the aromatic mixture was created by the owner of the Seiji, and tasted amazing in both the soup and mixed with soy. We wish we had taken some home.

This place is a real gem. Definitely add it to your "to do" list the next time you visit the area!

One of the best dining experiences we had on the island. While exploring the area, we decided to stop for breakfast to go. Before I could open my Yelp app to assist with the restaurant research, we drove by The Coffee Shack, and were drawn in. I went for a menu and told the hostess we would be getting food to go, but before I could finish, my husband cut me off and pointed at the dining room. The dining room is on the deck of the restaurant, and has an amazing, unobstructed view of the mountainside and ocean below. That was all I needed - we decided to eat there.

Food:
Veggie omelette, potatoes and fresh, homemade bread. Delicious! The veggies tasted like they had been handpicked that morning, and the potatoes were crispy, and had a hint of pineapple and bell pepper. I opted for their French Bread (which I realized was a mistake after tasting my husband sweet breads - Still drooling). And did I mention the portions are enormous?

Service:
Perfect. They were friendly, attentive and didn't try to rush us, even when the place got busy. Jasmine helped us upfront and was super sweet.

The next time you visit the area you need to add this place to your "to do" list. We were staying at the Sheraton, and The Coffee Shack was just a quick 10 minute drive away. Totally worth it.

What a sad place this is. My husband and I stopped for breakfast on our way down the coast. At the counter I ordered the breakfast sandwich (no ham, on an english muffin) and my husband ordered the same (but with ham, on a toasted bagel). My husband's coffee came out quickly and he enjoyed it while we waited... and waited... and waited... after 20 minutes I figured they had forgotten about us, but before I could ask, the owner started yelling at a waitress. The waitress had taken on extra hours, and the owner didn't want her working on her days off. "I don't need you!" she screamed. They argued loudly for at least 10 minutes behind the counter, which was maybe 100 feet from where we sat. It made the whole experience extremely uncomfortable. At the same time, funny enough, someone came in asking about job openings, and was interviewed and hired on the spot, in the main dining area.

20 more minutes passed before someone at the front yelled, "Breakfast sandwiches!" We went to pick them up, and they were cold... apparently they had been ready for some time, but no one had bothered to tell us. We were running behind schedule and starving, so we quickly tore into them when we got to the car. Then I nearly threw up in my mouth. MAYONNAISE! My breakfast sandwich was covered in mayonnaise (and was on a bagel, not an english muffin). So gross. My husband's had even more mayo than mine (his was on an english muffin). I ate 1/3 of the cold sandwich that wasn't covered in the condiment before throwing it out. My husband tried to make me laugh about it, but after forcing half his sandwich down his throat, he said, "Babe, can you please write a Yelp review about this place? I wouldn't wish this breakfast on anyone."

Conclusion: $12 wasted on the worst breakfast ever. Luckily, this was the worst part of our day. Several hours later I had forgotten about the nasty food and bad service and enjoyed a delightful lunch in Hilo.

After: I thought that adding mayo on breakfast sandwiches might be a local thing, and if so, I would take responsibility for not asking it be left off (even though it was not listed on the menu). But after eating at a variety of restaurants on the island, and asking around, I found this NOT to be the case (One waitress a few days later actually  laughed at the idea when I asked if her breakfast sandwiches came with mayo. "Haha! Oh no, no no no.")

One of THE most satisfying meals I've had in a very long time! The husband and I enjoyed Sunday brunch at this hidden gem last weekend. Keep in mind that everything they serve is homemade and locally grown. The restaurant is also family owned, which I love. The owner was gracious and attentive and his wife worked her magic in the kitchen.

We started the meal off with the mineral mimosas and split the homemade cheddar biscuit with rhubarb and orange jam. You wouldn't think that a cheddar biscuit would go with the jam, but it did and I'm craving it right now.

For our main course, I had the potato and white cheddar breakfast pizza with a fresh egg on top - one of the best things I have ever tasted - and my husband ordered the breakfast pizza with homemade vegetarian patty, garlic aioli sauce, homemade bun, arugula, homemade dill pickles toped with a cooked egg. The pizza was topped with fresh oregano which tasted amazing with the egg, potato, cheese and homemade pizza crust. The burger was divine (I managed to steal a taste before he devoured the entire plate).

My family owns a cabin in Arnold, so we come to Murphy's often - I look forward to coming back this Spring when their outside seating opens up. Murphy's is a dog friendly town, and I know my little dog Penny would love to lie in the sun on their patio while I enjoy another breakfast pizza (or 5).

Moral of the story? Make a reservation. You need to eat here. Period.

I LOVE THIS PLACE! Spending quality time with the ladies of my family is very important to us, and Queen Bee has become our go-to place for our bi-weekly girls day. This past weekend the three of us made mani-pedi appointments, and were seated and attended to quickly. The ladies are so nice too! :) We typically get the more time consuming Shellac manicures, and I was pleased to see how well they manage their time (with just one person working on each of us), getting us in and out in just under two hours. And have I mentioned their color selection of Shellac polishes? I would have to guess they have 50+ (in addition to an abundant selection of Opi and China Glaze colors). I have had gel manicures at half a dozen other establishments in the Bay Area, and Queen Bee, hands down, has the best selection.

I was sad to see that a select few reviewers have caused the star rating for Queen Bee to go down - especially when the most logical solution to some of their issues would have been to plan ahead and make an appointment.

Getting beautified at Queen Bee is the best part of my family's girls day - and my nails always look great, and stay looking great for weeks to come.

Fresh ingredients, huge portions, super fast delivery! WE HAVE FOUND OUR NEW, GO-TO TAKE-OUT RESTAURANT!

I was craving Chinese food last week, and since we're new to the area, took a chance on First Wok and were not disappointed! Every dish tasted like it was made to order, just for us.
- Vegetable Fried Rice: Fresh, perfectly sticky, fresh vegetables.
- Vegetable Chow Mein: This dish seemed to go on forever! Great texture, fresh flavors.
- Orange Chicken: Crispy and flavorful.
- Spring Rolls: Perfectly crispy.
- Crab Rangoon: Perfectly cooked. And their presentation was genius - place onto of lettuce to ensure the grease doesn't pool around the rangoons.
- Three Ingredient Seafood: Prawns, Scallops, Squid (I asked for extra Prawns in the place of squid), with fresh, diced zucchini and bell peppers. YUM!!

The above fed two very hungry adults for two days.

After a very long work day, my husband and I decided to head to downtown Sunnyvale for a late night dinner. I was so pleased that Tarragon was able to accommodate us! Despite the late hour, there were still a few tables of diners seated throughout the restaurant, and our server remained upbeat and attentive throughout the service. What we ordered:
- Baked brie: To start, we shared the baked brie. What a surprise! The brie was baked in phyllo dough, and served with a baked head of garlic, crostini and drizzled with aged balsamic. So delicious! And compared to other appetizers I've had in the area, it was huge - they obviously put a lot of thought into their dishes. My only wish is that I had, had five more minutes with this plate (I'm a slow eater), but my entree arrived, and we ran out of room on our table.
- (Me) Vegetable Tagliatelle: DELICIOUS! The vegetables were cooked perfectly. Still a bit of crunch of color, but cooked enough so the pasta could soak in all the yummy flavors. Portion size was great too.
- (Hubby) Filet Mignon: He ordered it rare, and to his delight, it was cooked exactly as he had requested. He noted how well all the flavors on the plate went together (mashed potatoes, spinach, bleu cheese and the glaze) and would have offered me a bite, but before he knew it, he had joined the ranks of the "clean plate club."
- Chocolate Crisp Cake: One of my favorite things to do after a long and satisfying meal, is order dessert to go, and finish the meal at home. I was being indecisive, so our server recommended the Chocolate Crisp Cake, and I'm so glad he did. It was delectable - a beautiful combination of textures, colors and flavors.

Overall, one of the best dining experiences my husband and I have had in a long time. Will definitely be back.

A co-worker of mine just brought in a box of these delicious works of art, and in the last few minutes, they have been literally torn apart.  Of course, no one wants to be "seen" eating a whole one - so you take slivers of each one on your plate.  My slivers included the glazed donut covered in Captain Crunch, and the maple donut covered in melted marshmallows and graham crackers.  Just what I needed - a sugar high in the morning!!

Nom nom nom - I came here last night with a girlfriend and let me first say how sad I am that I forgot my leftovers!  Now for the story... This was my first time dining at Cha Cha Cha, and compared to other restaurants, was unusually busy for a Wednesday night (40 minute wait for main dining room, 20 minute wait for bar seating).  Luckily, we were able to snag two seats at the end of the bar fairly quickly.  We started with drinks while we perused the menu.  I ordered a glass of their Malbec, my friend, an Anchor Steam.  They have two menus, one with specials, and one with their daily tapas selections.  Having eaten here many times in the past, I let her order (and I am so thankful I did!)  We had:
1. Appetizers: Guacamole (free chips and salsa) and corn tortillas
2. Large Dish: Vegetable Paella (filled with cauliflower, red bell peppers, spinach, onions, and tomatoes)
3. Tapas: Spiced potatoes and garlic marinated button mushrooms

We had also ordered their spinach empanada, but the bartender informed us that they typically only serve fresh dishes that are prepared entirely inhouse.  That this is the only dish on their menu that is not prepared in house.  We asked how it was prepared, and were informed it was purchased, and microwaved... so a hot pocket? I thanked him for his honesty, and decide against the hot pocket.  :)

Everything was delicious.  Super flavorful, and tasted fantastic all together.  I filled my little tortilla with ALL of the above, and scarfed.  It was divine.  Prices weren't too bad either.  I would definitely recommend this place to anyone in the San Francisco area.  Not in the neighborhood?  Drive - it's worth it.