Continuing with our food tour of the big island, we went to Roy’s Waikoloa Bar and Grill for Dan’s birthday dinner.

Roy’s is the brainchild of restauranteur Roy Yamaguchi and actually has several locations, one of our favorites being in Palm Springs, California. When we learned that there is a Roy’s located in the King’s Marketplace, a mall right near our hotel- Hilton Waikoloa Village Resort, it was actually the first thing we booked for our vacation.

This was my step-kids first time at a Roy’s and I’m happy to report that it was a very family-friendly experience. I was most impressed by the multi-course meal option on the kid’s menu. It allows kids to eat foods that they enjoy, but also adds a dash of sophistication, as the kids ate their courses alongside the adults.

The only minor negative is that they seated us near families with very young children. I realize that just saw that we had kids and looped us in, but at the time of travel, my step-kids were older and certainly an age where they conduct themselves as adults at a restaurant. It slightly diminished our experience to be seated near rambunctious toddlers and crying babies, although, that said, I think it is an appreciation for families and all-adult groups alike, to be seated in separate sections.

As usually, Roy’s was first-class. It’s definitely the place to go for seafood, in particular, Roy’s lobster bisque is not to be missed.

For my step-daughter’s twelfth birthday, we also went to a chain restaurant that we have on the mainland: Romano’s Macaroni Grill. We didn’t set out to eat there, but after a disappointing start at an Italian restaurant located in our hotel, we abandoned our original plans and headed to the nearby King’s Marketplace, where Roy’s is also located.

I hadn’t eaten at a Macaroni Grill in years, but luckily the food was just the Italian cuisine that we were after, and more important, our attentive server went out of her way to make Zoe’s birthday special. We had an outstanding experience and if we had realized it sooner, we would have eaten here multiple times during our vacation.

Also in the marketplace was A-Bay’s island Grill, where we sat outside on the patio and enjoyed live-music. This was our final evening of the trip, so we splashed out on multiple cocktails/mocktails and gorged on surf-n-turf. It was the perfect meal to end our holiday. Like a majority of the fine-dining restaurants in Hawaii, the food is excellent, yet the atmosphere is casual enough for Hawaiian shirts and sandals. Kids are always welcome as well. Relax, you’re on vacation.

On our final morning, we had a light breakfast at Daylight Mind Coffee Company, also located in the marketplace. If you stay in Waikoloa Village, you quickly become familiar with the Kings and Queens Marketplaces, two outdoor shopping/dining/entertainment complexes that are located adjacent to one another.

Daylight Mind Coffee Company is an upscale cafe. I had the best yogurt parfait filled with exotic fruits. It was my first time trying dragon fruit, which is amazing!!!

For those who like a more familiar brand of coffee, Starbucks is also located nearby. We went there several times and bought some mugs for our “been there” collection. I also found it funny that they advertise their Mocha Coconut Frappuccino as “only available in Hawaii.” I remember this being a seasonal summer drink that I used to sip while floating around my aunt’s pool in California. I haven’t seen it for several years, so maybe now it is only in Hawaii, but I have certainly enjoyed it stateside.

The Island Gourmet Market was where we emptied our pockets. It is the best store on the big island, offering souvenirs, sundries, and a reasonably priced selection of both groceries and prepared food. This is where you go under the guise of saving money, but you really spend what you might have saved on Hawaiian merchandise, like Hawaiian themed Hello Kitty tote bags and candles that smell like macadamia nuts. Dan bought me the best orange/yellow sarong that matches my bikini, so I scored!

The Island Market was our go-to for room snacks and local products. POG, a mixture of Passionfruit/Guava/Orange is perfection.

Finally, there was a cool restaurant next to our hotel called the Lava Lava Beach Club. It had been highly recommended as a fun and relatively good-value place to eat with views of the ocean. We went to check it out one morning, before it was open, and we never went back to eat. However, there was something very delightful about the place…cats!!!

Cats all over the trees near the beach! I always miss our own cats when we travel, so I get very excited to see cats during our vacations.

I’ve enjoyed taking a trip down memory lane while writing this and I hope you have also enjoyed coming along on our vacation. We are itching to get back to Hawaii and hopefully a return trip will be sooner than later. It was truly the most magical and relaxing family vacation that we have ever taken.