We did it! We found a true-blue locals-only spot on the big island!Credit goes to my brother Kevin. He was using Yelp to find a good place to watch the Bucs (RIP) playoff game.This place is a rowdy local sports bar! For a sports bar, they have a great selection of local taps!We got some quesadillas and, while they weren 't amazing, they were good. And there were some of the most affordable food we 've ever had in Hawaii so...for under $10, I guess they were excellent!Despite our being obvious tourists, all the regulars and locals were plenty friendly.You might be thinking Andrew, how do you really know the other people in here were locals?! Good question.1) There wasn 't a lot of gawking at...
Besides their very reasonably priced drinks and appetizers, what stood out most about TJ's was the inclusivity of the atmosphere. During our time there, it was the only place in Kailua Kona where people of color made up the majority of the customers, and we didn't feel out of place at all. It truly felt like home, which is a significant compliment.
To top it off, as we were leaving, a group of locals nearby who we hadn’t even spoken to wished us a good night, just for being friendly. I genuinely regret not going back to TJ's, but if I ever return to the Big Island, you can bet I'll be visiting again. Take care and happy dining, everyone!
This place is fantastic! They have inexpensive beer and an excellent happy hour. The food was delicious as well—I had the chili and rice, which I liked so much that I ended up buying some of the dry chili they offer. I also tried the pepperoni and cheese-filled mushrooms wrapped in bacon, which were amazing. The owner, who was also our bartender, was really friendly. I highly recommend this spot!
On Thursday afternoon at 3:30 am with my wife and our 9yo daughter sat here and really enjoyed it. They were very friendly and the food was fantastic mostly appetizers that allowed us to taste various types of food. The feet were fantastic. I'd come all the time for the Scampi Tots when we live here.
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Literally to me the best bar in Kona the food is amazing and well priced!!!! If your in the area support local it’s worth the stop in!
Great bar food+cocktails+beer and awesome atmosphere with lots of locals. Fair prices! Don’t miss this awesome little spot!
tj is clean, has great eating, drinks and service is great! tourist and local enjoy the ambiente and entertainment!
The best happy hour in the city! This is the ideal spot for anyone looking to connect with true locals.
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The appetizers are fantastic! Service even better!
Great service, great food, great cocktails.
