Big Island Brewhaus

Big Island BrewhausBig Island Brewhaus
Big Island BrewhausBig Island Brewhaus
Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

64-1066 Mamalahoa Hwy
Unit A
Kamuela, Hawaii, 96743-7309
United States

(808) 887-1717 | map
bigislandbrewhaus.com

Formerly Big Island Brewhaus & Tako Taco Taqueria
BEER STATS
Average:
3.81
Beers:
43
Ratings:
607
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.12
Reviews:
22
Ratings:
40
pDev:
8.98%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by DVMin98:
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Rated by DVMin98 from North Carolina

3.86/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4 | food: 4

Feb 24, 2018
More User Ratings:
Photo of Gatch
Reviewed by Gatch from Massachusetts

4.66/5  rDev +13.1%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
A random and welcome discovery while exploring the great food options of Waimea. Very popular and clearly a local gem, the food is traditional pub grub with a local twist and the beer options are stellar!
Feb 26, 2022
 
Rated: 3.38 by Adrian_matei from California

Jun 16, 2019
Photo of eluvah
Reviewed by eluvah from New York

4.19/5  rDev +1.7%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
Great little spot with many award winning beers. 18 selections on tap with a wide variety. Four of us had food and everything was delicious. Well worth the visit.
Feb 09, 2019
Photo of Stevedore
Reviewed by Stevedore from Oregon

3.63/5  rDev -11.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Small spot in Waimea. Central building (small) is for the bar, and the main building in the back of the lot is the brewery. Fairly laid back vibe, plenty of seating indoors and outdoors (but covered). Service is average, fairly friendly and reasonably attentive. Quality of the food is good; pricey but it's Hawaii, of course. The sampler trays are a solid way to try a large number of their beers on the same day. Good and reasonable beer selection, especially for Hawaii as they do many different styles, some alright, some very well.
Jan 31, 2019
Photo of SamuelMiller
Rated by SamuelMiller from Montana

3.99/5  rDev -3.2%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
Waitress Lady said that she liked my shorts(they were nice shorts).
May 06, 2018
 
Rated: 4.26 by EarForBeer from Colorado

Aug 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4.5 by heerboth from Pennsylvania

Jul 25, 2016
Photo of dcgunman
Reviewed by dcgunman from California

3.79/5  rDev -8%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.25 | food: 4
Before we visited BIB I have had a few of their bottles on Maui and the Big Island. So going there I knew the beers I did have were good. Much better than the brewery in the town of Kona. I was looking forward to tasting their beers not bottled. And they had several to choose from. From the outside it looked small but nice and clean. Outside area seating was bench style. I thought the inside was small and tight. Maybe because it was warm inside. We stayed outdoors. Temperature was very nice with a little breeze and not as humid as oceanside. I believe they had about 12-14 beers on the menu. I went straight for the DIPA. Hoptopias. It was good from the very first sip all the way to my second glass. Food menu they had their Famous Brewhaus Green Chili Stew for only $700. Must be really good. We passed on it. Instead we Kalua Pork on Romaine with salsa, Paniola Burrito with Carnita Pork and Slider size cheese burger. Loved them all but it was the Kaula Pork on Romaine that we agreed was the best. Server was kind and helpful. I talked to one of the brewers on site about one of the Overboard bottles I purchased and opened the night before it had some brown liquid like in the bottle cap and on the outside of the top of bottle. After some research he told me that it was probably from a bad batch of caps or bottling or both. The bottle was Batch 599. They were on batch 612. So I knew the bottle I purchased was old. I also found a bottle of Holy Humulus in Kona the day before. I'm sure that one was old too. Oh well. I had a great time in BIB. Better than that bigger brewery in Kona. What was the name of that one with bad service?
Jul 22, 2016
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Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +5.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.75
this was probably my favorite brewery that we visited in Hawaii. The taplist of their beers was a nice variety, and everything I drank was tasty. service was great, and the mexican food was some of the best I've ever had. I definitely recommend this place
Apr 26, 2016
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Reviewed by ArkyVaughan from New Jersey

4.44/5  rDev +7.8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.5
My wife and I visited Big Island Brewhaus twice for lunch during a recent vacation on the Big Island. I think this is the best brewery in Hawaii. There were 10 different beers on tap when we were there, including Tall, Dark & Mandarin (imperial stout) and Halfling (session IPA), which were standouts among a very solid lineup. The food is excellent, especially if you are looking for vegetarian options, and everything, including the beer, is very reasonably priced. The service is also excellent - bartenders and wait staff were friendly and attentive. Do not miss Big Island Brewhaus if you are ever on the Big Island.
Mar 22, 2016
Photo of Brewerbach
Reviewed by Brewerbach from Maryland

4.16/5  rDev +1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4.25
OF THE 3 PLACES THAT I VISITED KONA, MEHANA, AND BIG ISLAND BREWHAUS (JULY 2015), THIS ONE WAS BY FAR THE MOST CREATIVE AND TURNED OUT TO BE THE BEST. I DO NOT REMEMBER SEEING ANY BELGIAN STYLES AT EITHER OF THE OTHER BREWERIES. THE DARK AND GOLDEN WERE GOOD BEERS, THEY HAVE SOME GOOD IPA'S. THEY HAD A BREW WITH TAHATIAN LIMES WHICH I REALLY ENJOYED.

FISH TACOS WERE GOOD AS WELL
Mar 11, 2016
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

4.06/5  rDev -1.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.75 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
Nice patio seating but it's next to a busy two lane highway. The vibe is "all are welcome". I see elderly, surfer dudes, families, etc. Everyone is ordering lunch (and a beer). Of note, they try to use local ingredients wherever possible, including grass fed Hawaiian beef.

I ordered a flat iron steak and could not tell the difference, but then again it was lathered in a strong vinegar sauce. My wife's fish tacos were superb, perhaps the best I've ever had. So, one hit and one miss.

The beers were varied, although there were no wheat offerings. Mostly pale ales and their derivatives.
Jan 25, 2016
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Reviewed by GreenEggsHam1 from Ohio

3.88/5  rDev -5.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5
We stumbled upon Big Island Brewhaus while exploring the island. The reviews we found mixed but we decided to give it a shot and we were glad we did. The food was excellent. We tried the fish tacos, the wanton tacos, the kung pao macadamia nuts and a fish tostada special. All of it was excellent. The atmosphere was casual and laid back. The parking was a bit limited, but we called the brewery for instructions on where else we could park. My only knock on this place was our waitress... she disappeared a lot, spent a lot of time flirting with the locals... we may have ate & drank more if she was more attentive.
Dec 28, 2015
 
Rated: 4.13 by ErinGoBraugh from Pennsylvania

Nov 18, 2015
 
Rated: 4.09 by Coon_Hopster from Minnesota

Sep 25, 2015
 
Rated: 4.44 by kjkinsey from Texas

Jun 02, 2015
Photo of Beerparrot
Reviewed by Beerparrot from Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4
They had a good crowd and we still were seated fairly fast. It didn't take long to get our beers and food came equally quick. Portions of the fish taco were small, but very good. The burger my friend had was huge with lots of fries. Overall a good experience other than our DD wanted a hot tea and there was no tea or coffee available. Beers are awesome.
Mar 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.85 by AnitaRSmith from Massachusetts

Jan 31, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by ItsYourBoyBlue from Washington

Oct 25, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by aoampm from Hawaii

Sep 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by jackmax from Washington

Jul 10, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by juicebox from Kentucky

Jul 01, 2014
 
 
Rated: 4.5 by joelambic from Illinois

Jun 18, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by Beer21 from Florida

May 10, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by guezarka from Massachusetts

Apr 24, 2014
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Reviewed by Smakawhat from Maryland

3.86/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.25 | selection: 4
This review is for the beer only, not the food since I didn't order any.

Went through about 5 items, (not to mention about another four that I could find in bottle shops), and was very impressed. As far as I am concerned it's the best brewery on the Big Island.

Standouts here are the off items, but many of the classic regular lineups are solid such as the White Mountain Porter, and Overboard IPA.

Many limited beers though are impressive. Mandarin Gold is truly a great fruit option with a good soft vanilla flavor and texture. Red Sea of Cacao with it's pink salt, chocolate, and Tall Dark And Mandarin with it's chocolate and mandarin orange all have wonderful aromas, with palates that are truly unique and make you want more.

Service is a little slow, particularly when it's busy, but it's not horrifically bad.

The location is of course not in the most populated areas of the island but it is easily worth going to. The ambience here is also a lot of fun with many people who are visiting and some locals who are all out having a great experience.

A very worthy stop on the island for a brew, and prices here for beer are actually pretty reasonable.
Apr 21, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by nickfl from Florida

Nov 04, 2013
Photo of dbriesemeister
Reviewed by dbriesemeister from Minnesota

4.01/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4 | food: 3.75
Stopped by while everyone else was down at the Ironman Championship.

Server was very friendly and helpful with suggestions on food and beer.

Interior was cozy, but we sat out on the spacious patio (~10 tables).

Interesting range of Mexican fare: tacos, burritos, and the like. We all enjoyed our meals.

Prices were very reasonable by Hawaii standards.
Oct 13, 2013
Photo of QuakeAttack
Reviewed by QuakeAttack from California

3.75/5  rDev -9%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3
We visited Big Island Brewhaus & Taqueria last month while on holiday. It was partially overcast day in Waimae and we stopped for a late lunch.

Atmosphere: I liked the inside of the bar/restaurant, but it was crowded and we ended up sitting outside. You had a mix of locals and tourists. Nothing special...

Quality: Heh, you want a Belgian Ale on the Big Island. We had the White Porter, Pale Ale, and Dark Sabbath (Belgian Dark Strong Ale). I would order all three again. The coconut in the White Porter was excellent and I loved the local honey in the Dark Sabbath.

Service: It was fine. Nothing special.

Selection: I doubt that you will find a better selection of beers on the Big Island. If you are ono for some beer while on vacation or a local getting into craft beer, this is it.

Food: Mexican on the Big Island. My kids were fine with it. Me, not so much.

Value: It was reasonable compared with other places on the Big Island (which means nothing is cheap).
Aug 10, 2013
Photo of human24
Reviewed by human24 from Minnesota

4.1/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 3.5
Brewmaster Thomas Kerns and crew hit the mark on an array of masterfully crafted styles (13 beers on tap!), including Golden Sabbath, a world-class Belgian, and White Mountain Porter, an island treasure with local coffee and toasted coconut. A solid menu of Mexican dishes is a great complement to the brews.
Mar 13, 2013
Photo of Resuin
Reviewed by Resuin from Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4.25
This place was great - very relaxed atmosphere, a decent amount of their beers (maybe 10-15 on tap). I tried all their beers I hadn't tried before via 2 pints and a 5-beer sampler in 3.5 oz servings. All were tasty, the Pau Hana Pale Ale was incredible.

The brew-pub also serves Mexican food, and it was very good, especially for Hawaii (Hawaii is not known for their Mexican food). I ordered the taco plate (beef & steak) and it was fantastic. Other dishes people ordered included enchiladas, burritos and fish tacos. Everybody loved their meals, and definitely enjoyed their beers. The prices weren't ridiculous and the service was great.

This place is a little out of the way, but well worth the trip if you are on the Big Island. Highly recommended. I hope they start bottling their beers, but I did leave with a growler of their Pau Hana Pale Ale which I enjoyed later, the next day.
Feb 12, 2013
Photo of pod4ski
Reviewed by pod4ski from California

4.45/5  rDev +8%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Sat at the bar 2 pm on a weekday. THe place was happening. Alot of customers filling growlers and jars, and why not. great beer at very affordable prices. I had a taster and enjoyed their Overboard IPA the most. Very nice belguim, Dark Sabbath .... if you like Belgiums. They had 14 home crafted beers on tap, all theirs. Wow, would I be in trouble if I lived nearby. THe foot was reasonably priced Mexican foot with locally grown beef and produce. And the fresh fish tacos were awesome.

This is a place you cannot miss if you are a beer drinker visiting the Big Island, about 45 minutes from Kona.
Nov 20, 2012
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Reviewed by ejb8910 from North Carolina

4.4/5  rDev +6.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Stumbled upon this place while taking a mountain drive on 6-25-2012. I loved the atmosphere. They had about fifteen beers on tap and the staff was very helpful. I tried the Hoptopias and it was very tasty and hoppy. Girlfriend drank the Overboard IPA and she enjoyed it as well. The place has Mexican food and is very reasonably priced. Pints are five dollars and premium pints are 6.50. I believe it is going to be hard to find a better place on this island with fifteen varieties of beers I have never tried.
Jun 26, 2012
Photo of jamex
Reviewed by jamex from California

3.08/5  rDev -25.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3 | food: 2
April 2012

Stopped here for a bite to eat and some brews. I was getting tired of drinking Kona Brewing beers (bought at the supermarket) so I looked forward to some other brews.

The place is small and unassuming - there is a small patio outside and inside room for about 30. Since the place claims to be a "taqueria" I ordered the grilled fish tacos. Others in my groups ordered similar Mexican food.

Well, being from San Diego sure didn't help. We have some of the best Mexican food here, so when we took bites of our food we were all disappointed. Flavors were bland and just "meh."

Moving on to the beers. I ordered six samples in this order:
White Mtn Porter: Really good
Macadamia Nut Brown: Also good
Mandarin Gold: Good (wow, this place is great)
Golden Sabbath: Yuk
Dark Sabbath: Yuk
Overboard IPA: Yuk
I then ordered a red beer half pint and drain poured it.

So if you come here, stick to the porters and browns - it must be their "thing."

Prices and service was average. Left there disappointed.
Apr 13, 2012
Photo of July2Nov
Reviewed by July2Nov from Virginia

3.95/5  rDev -4.1%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
Went there 3/9/2012 around noon, the day before the Kona Brewer's Festival.

The first thing we noticed when we arrived was the parking lot holds about 12 cars in total, but (Hint*) there is extra parking to the left, near the church.

When I first entered I was wearing my Maui Brewing Co. hat and was rewarded with a free beer, not just because of my devilishly good looks ( which normally gets me thrown out of establishments), but because the Maui Brewing Co. crew was there drinking and eating with the head brewer of Big Island Brewhaus. Cheers Maui! Your the best! So if other brewers go to this place, then you know it's going to be good!

We ate inside which is rather small, but they have a huge deck area...so fear not if you get there on a busy day. The service was good, but don't expect crazy fast service if it is on the crowded side, however be thankful that your in Hawaii and your enjoying Hawaiian time. The food was both fresh & tasty. The chips and salsa were good and appeared to be made in-house. I had the Baja fish tacos which were awesome and bigger than what I expected. Delia got the chicken quesadilla that she apparently liked, since it was all finished when I was looking for a bite to try. Honestly, the food was a side note in my mind before coming here as beer was what I came here for, but the food was a really pleasant surprise.

Check their website for the current beers on-tap, but most of the standbys will be on the list with some special/seasonals on board. I started with a flight of five and then chose half pints and full pints later from the ones I enjoyed. Don't forget they have growlers and other sizes of mason jars to go. The beers here are some of the best from the islands and are award winning. So go crazy and bring what you liked the best back to share with some friends (my choice is the White Mountain Porter).
Mar 17, 2012
Photo of beefmental
Reviewed by beefmental from Iowa

4.34/5  rDev +5.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
This is a small place, but super easy to find – right on the highway. Inside there are 5 small tables and one large table. The bar sits approximately 8 people. We found the atmosphere friendly and easy going. There are currently 13 brews on tap ranging from pilsner to stout (also Octoberfest, 2 Belgians, Pale ales & IPA’s). Our group enjoyed 2 flights of samplers and found the beer to be of good quality throughout the entire flights.

Our waitress was pleasant, beer knowledgeable, and friendly. The service was very good. The menu features Mexican food along with salads. We didn’t eat while we were there; we were simply there for the beer. Normally there are growlers available (they happened to be out when we were there). They also offer quart and half gallon jar refills.

I’d recommend stopping here if you are on the big island.
Nov 20, 2011
Photo of jdaelhousen
Reviewed by jdaelhousen from Massachusetts

3.73/5  rDev -9.5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Comfortable atmosphere with some authentic mexican flare to it. They had 8 of their own taps and a few guest brewery taps (maui, SN, Kona).

The beer was very good I thought. Had a red ale and a maibock on draft. They didn't have any "big" beers on tap but there were a few fermenting. An imperial IPA, imperial stout, and an Octoberfest.

The food was all Mexican, as the Tako Taco establishment was around well before the brewery became part of it. I only ordered an appetizer of quesadillas, but they tasted very good with a homemade lime guacamole that was a nice complement.

Service was a bit slow but it is Hawaii afterall. Got to talking to the bartender trying to decide what growler to take home with me, and he provided me samples of anything I wanted.

If you're taking a trip to the Big Island, definitely check this place out. I stayed in Kona and it was about 50 minutes to get over there.
Jul 09, 2011
Photo of slyke
Reviewed by slyke from Minnesota

3.78/5  rDev -8.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
This place has been around in Waimea/Kamuela as Tako Taco for several years, but in the spring of 2011 current owner, Thomas Kerns, began brewing in a building out back. They are transitioning to the new name "Big Island Brewhaus."

The atmosphere is comfy and inviting with bright colors inside and a covered outdoor seating area. There are open mic. nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays with live music some other evenings.

Beer quality is very good. On my recent visit to Hawaii, they had eight of their own beers available and four guest beers from other breweries in the islands. I had at least a pint of each of their eight beers in the course of six visits over two weeks - easy and safe to do since we were staying within walking distance. Each beer ranged from good to excellent, but I did not take any tasting notes.

Service is friendly but sometimes a bit slow; this is Hawaii so that isn't unusual.

Selection of beers were good, at the time of our visits they had a pale lager, two pale ales, a red ale, an IPA, a porter with coconut, a dry stout, and a Maibock on tap. A wheat and a pilsner were conditioning.

Food is basically the same Mexican menu that was offered here for years. I can't speak to it's authenticity, but it is decent.

If you are on the Big Island, give this place a try.
Jul 06, 2011
Big Island Brewhaus in Kamuela, HI
Brewery rating: 3.81 out of 5 with 607 ratings