Overview
Cheeky Tiki is a tiki-bar-and-restaurant style spot on Ali‘i Drive in Kailua-Kona, with Google Places marking it operational at 75-5669 Ali‘i Dr. The restaurant’s own site calls it Kona’s “authentic tiki bar and restaurant,” and current hours are posted directly on the site. (cheekytikikona.com)
For a traveler, the main draw is the combination of drinks, tropical atmosphere, and ocean-view setting rather than a narrow specialty cuisine. Multiple sources describe it as casual, fun, and sunset-friendly, which makes it a natural stop for a relaxed dinner or cocktails on the Kona waterfront. (luvarealestate.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
Cheeky Tiki’s menu sits in a Hawaiian / island-fusion / tiki-bar lane rather than a traditional Hawaiian plate lunch lane. The official menu page shows separate sections for pupus, salads, keikis, and plates/sandwiches, while review sources repeatedly point to cocktails as a major part of the appeal. (cheekytikikona.com)
Notable items that are repeatedly mentioned across sources include the Pacific 19 Mai Tai, Lava Flow, Trader Vic’s Mai Tai, Sharkeye cocktail, bulgogi beef lettuce cups, Jamaican skewers, Kung Pao mac nut shrimp, fresh island fish, pork belly, fish tacos, and kimchi fried rice. Because these come from a mix of official/menu-adjacent and review sources, the strongest takeaway is that the kitchen leans Asian-island fusion with tiki-bar drink culture, not a single regional Hawaiian specialty. (luvarealestate.com)
- Overall menu style: island-fusion / tiki bar food with pupus, salads, keiki items, sandwiches, and plates; cocktails are a core part of the experience. (cheekytikikona.com)
- Notable dishes / drinks: Pacific 19 Mai Tai, Lava Flow, Sharkeye, Trader Vic’s Mai Tai, bulgogi beef lettuce cups, Jamaican skewers, Kung Pao mac nut shrimp, fresh island fish, pork belly, fish tacos, kimchi fried rice. (luvarealestate.com)
- Price range / spend: Google Places does not show a price level. Third-party listings describe it as roughly $10–$25 per person and generally “reasonable,” but that should be treated as an estimate rather than a hard fact. (restaurantguru.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limitations: There is at least some support for vegetarian and gluten-free accommodation, and one community review specifically praises helpful staff for dietary restrictions. However, that evidence is limited and not a formal allergen policy, so visitors with serious restrictions should still verify directly. (restaurantji.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
The setting is a big part of the appeal: sources consistently describe an open-air, covered, second-story or waterfront-feeling space with ocean or Kailua Bay views and sunset appeal. The overall experience sounds more like a laid-back tropical hangout than a formal dining room. (luvarealestate.com)
- Service model and seating style: full-service bar and restaurant; reviews mention covered outdoor dining, with some photos and descriptions suggesting a relaxed open-air layout. (restaurantji.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: laid-back, tropical, tiki-themed, with bamboo furniture, swinging chairs, reggae music, and “homey” or casual decor called out in reviews. (restaurantji.com)
- Amenities or practical features: ocean-view / sunset setting is the clearest practical feature; the site also posts current hours and has menu and cocktails pages. (luvarealestate.com)
- Best fit: sunset drinks, a casual dinner, a fun tourist stop, or a relaxed meal with friends/family in Kona. (restaurantji.com)
- Weaker fit: travelers seeking a quiet, formal, or highly chef-driven tasting experience may find the place more vibe-forward than culinary-deep. That is an inference from the repeated emphasis on atmosphere and cocktails. (luvarealestate.com)
History & Background
Meaningful ownership or chef-history details were not prominent in the sources reviewed. The clearest background signal is that Cheeky Tiki appears to be a relatively recent Kona addition, with one tiki-history source noting it opened in November 2022. (mytiki.life)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
The strongest recurring praise is for the view, the tiki atmosphere, and the cocktails. Review sources repeatedly highlight good Mai Tais, fun tropical drinks, casual energy, and a sunset setting over the bay. Food praise is also consistent enough to matter, especially for pork belly, fish tacos, pupus, and a few fusion dishes like bulgogi lettuce cups and shrimp. (restaurantji.com)
Common Gripes
The downside evidence is lighter than the praise, but there are a few recurring cautions. Some drink descriptions mention sweetness, which suggests the cocktail style may not suit people who prefer drier or more spirit-forward drinks. Because review sentiment is generally positive and complaints are not dominant in the sources reviewed, the negatives look mixed to lightly supported rather than structural. (restaurantji.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- Hours posture: the official site and third-party listings both show Sunday–Thursday 11 AM–10 PM and Friday–Saturday 11 AM–11 PM as current hours. (cheekytikikona.com)
- Best time to go: sunset is repeatedly called out as a strength, so late afternoon into evening is likely the sweet spot if you want the view. (luvarealestate.com)
- Reservations / walk-ins: no clear reservation system was surfaced in the sources reviewed; it appears to function as a walk-in-friendly casual venue. That is an inference, not a confirmed policy. (cheekytikikona.com)
- Ordering tip: the drinks are a major part of the identity, so first-timers may want to prioritize a signature tiki cocktail rather than treating it like a generic restaurant stop. (luvarealestate.com)
- Dietary note: staff may be helpful with vegetarian or gluten-free questions, but serious allergy needs should be confirmed directly with the restaurant. (atly.com)
- Location note: it sits on Ali‘i Drive in Kailua-Kona, which is convenient for waterfront strolling but may be busy depending on time of day. The crowding note is an inference based on the area and the restaurant’s tourist-facing setting. (cheekytikikona.com)
Verification Notes
- Official name and address match the Google Places record: Cheeky Tiki, 75-5669 Ali‘i Dr, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, USA. (cheekytikikona.com)
- Website matches the candidate URL:
https://cheekytikikona.com/. (cheekytikikona.com) - Google Places shows the business as OPERATIONAL; no closure signal was found. (cheekytikikona.com)
- No phone number was surfaced in the Google Places payload or the sources reviewed. (cheekytikikona.com)
- No major verification issues found. (cheekytikikona.com)
Sources
- Cheeky Tiki official menu page —
https://cheekytikikona.com/menu— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for confirming current hours posture and menu structure (pupus, salads, keikis, plates/sandwiches). - Cheeky Tiki official homepage —
https://cheekytikikona.com/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for identity confirmation, official branding, address, and the restaurant’s own description of itself as Kona’s tiki bar and restaurant. - Cheeky Tiki cocktails page —
https://cheekytikikona.com/cocktails— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for confirming that cocktails are a central part of the concept. - Luva Real Estate local business spotlight —
https://www.luvarealestate.com/blog/local-business-spotlight-cheeky-tiki/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for atmosphere, second-story / bay-view context, and examples of signature drinks and dishes. - Restaurantji listing —
https://www.restaurantji.com/hi/kailua-kona/cheeky-tiki-kona-/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for review-pattern summary, hours cross-check, approximate spend estimate, and repeated mentions of standout dishes and the open-air setting. - Restaurant Guru listing —
https://restaurantguru.com/Cheeky-Tiki-Kailua-Kona— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for recurring menu mentions, price-range estimate, and repeated praise for Mai Tais and atmosphere. - mytiki.life venue page —
https://mytiki.life/tiki-bars/cheeky-tiki-kona— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for a limited historical signal indicating an opening around November 2022 and for the bay-view / craft tiki cocktail framing. - Atly gluten-free listing —
https://www.atly.com/gluten-free/location/CheekyTiki— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for a limited, community-based signal that the staff may be helpful with gluten-free and vegetarian needs; should be treated as anecdotal.
