Overview
Hau Tree is the casual, beachfront dining option at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Kohala Coast. In practical traveler terms, it is the place for a relaxed oceanfront meal or drink rather than a formal destination dinner: open-air seating, sunset-friendly views, and an easy resort vibe are the main draw. The restaurant is currently operational at the candidate address, and the Google Places record aligns with the hotel’s own location details. (maunakearesort.com)
What makes it worth a traveler’s attention is the setting as much as the menu. Hau Tree is positioned just steps from Kaunaʻoa Bay, and the resort describes it as a casual open-air spot for lunch by day and Hau Tree Cantina at night. That means the experience is more about beachside atmosphere, cocktails, and easy resort food than about chef-driven fine dining. (maunakearesort.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
Hau Tree’s food lane is broad but still clearly casual resort fare. By day, the menu centers on salads, burgers, fish tacos, sandwiches, wraps, and other beach-friendly plates; at night, the resort says it shifts to Hau Tree Cantina with contemporary regional Mexican dishes and a tequila/mezcial-oriented bar program. The official materials also emphasize local sourcing from island farm and ranch partners, which suggests a stronger ingredient story than the average beach bar. (maunakearesort.com)
- Overall menu style: casual open-air resort dining; daytime beachside favorites, evening cantina-style Mexican-inspired dishes. (maunakearesort.com)
- Notable dishes / drinks / sweets: Parker Ranch burger, Baja-style fish tacos, Fredrico cocktail, Ovaltine Froth dessert. The resort also highlights salads and a beverage list that includes tequila, mezcal, and non-alcoholic cocktails at night. (maunakearesort.com)
- Additional menu items supported by menu/review evidence: Hau Tree burger, poke bowl, Caesar salad, grilled mahi mahi, Kahlua fries, and bread pudding appear in official menu or menu-derived sources. (maunakearesort.com)
- Price expectations: traveler pricing looks moderate for a resort beachfront spot, but not cheap; OpenTable lists it in the “$30 and under” bucket, while diner comments and menu structure suggest island-resort pricing with some dishes feeling modest for the cost. (opentable.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limits: there is some evidence of gluten- and allergy-aware handling, but labeling can be weak and diners report that staff may be inconsistent about dietary guidance. For travelers with serious dietary needs, it looks usable but not fully dependable without advance communication. (opentable.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
This is an open-air beachfront restaurant with a gazebo-style bar and outdoor seating as the core experience. The appeal is the view and the setting: toes-nearly-in-the-sand dining, sunset light, and a relaxed resort atmosphere rather than an enclosed restaurant room. (maunakearesort.com)
- Service model and seating style: casual, walk-in-friendly resort dining with outdoor beachfront seating; OpenTable indicates reservations are generally available, though guest reports also mention that seating and traffic can feel busy at peak times. (opentable.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: relaxed, beachside, and lively; the venue is described as casual resort dining with sunset views, and some nights include live island music. (opentable.com)
- Practical features: the resort’s own material highlights a gazebo-style bar, outdoor beach proximity, and a lunch-to-dinner transition into Hau Tree Cantina. (maunakearesort.com)
- Best fit: an easy lunch, sunset drink, casual family meal, or vacation dinner where setting matters as much as the food. (opentable.com)
- Weaker fit: travelers seeking a quiet, air-conditioned, strongly chef-driven, or especially value-focused meal; outdoor conditions and resort pricing are part of the package. (opentable.com)
History & Background
Hau Tree appears to be part of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel dining ecosystem rather than an independent stand-alone restaurant with a widely documented separate origin story. The more meaningful background is the resort’s own recent reworking of the concept: official materials say the kitchen has undergone significant improvements and that the evening program has been elevated into Hau Tree Cantina, with expanded menu options and a more defined dinner identity. (maunakearesort.com)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
Guests repeatedly praise the setting: beachfront views, sunset seating, and the relaxed resort atmosphere are the strongest and most consistent positives. OpenTable’s diner summaries and other review-based sources also point to standout appeal for groups, kid-friendly meals, and casual outdoor dining. (opentable.com)
Food-wise, the items most often singled out positively are the fish tacos, burgers, and signature cocktails, especially the Fredrico. Several diner comments also suggest that when the kitchen is on, the food can be memorable enough that people return for specific items. (maunakearesort.com)
Common Gripes
The most recurring downside signals are about value and consistency. OpenTable’s diner summaries show a notably lower value score than food or ambiance, and individual reviews mention small portions, overpriced dishes, and uneven food quality on some visits. That is a fairly well-supported complaint pattern, not just a one-off. (opentable.com)
Service consistency is the other main issue. Some sources mention slow drink refills, cleared plates lingering too long, or variable service during busy times or renovations. Dietary labeling is also flagged as weak in at least one recent diner review, which matters for travelers with restrictions. These are supported but not universal complaints. (restaurantji.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- The resort’s current materials list lunch 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and dinner 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. for Hau Tree; Google Places currently shows a broader 11:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. daily posture, so hours should be checked close to visit time because the official site and Google are not fully aligned. (maunakearesort.com)
- If you want the best view and mood, aim for sunset time; that is the most consistently praised window, but it is also likely the busiest. (opentable.com)
- Reservations appear to be available through OpenTable, though some traveler reports still describe a fairly casual arrival-and-seat experience. (opentable.com)
- Expect outdoor beach conditions: heat, breeze, possible flies, and a more lively/noisy room than an indoor restaurant. (opentable.com)
- For guests with dietary restrictions, it is wise to call ahead and be specific rather than relying on menu labeling alone. (opentable.com)
- If you are only after the signature items, the most defensible order targets are the Fredrico, fish tacos, burger, and Ovaltine Froth. (maunakearesort.com)
Verification Notes
- Official identity aligns on Hau Tree, 62-100 Mauna Kea Beach Dr, Waimea, HI 96743, and (808) 882-5707. (maunakearesort.com)
- Google Places is OPERATIONAL and matches the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel ecosystem; no closure signal found. (maunakearesort.com)
- There is hours drift between Google Places and the resort’s current dining page; the website appears more specific and may be more current. (maunakearesort.com)
Sources
- Mauna Kea Resort – Hau Tree dining page —
https://www.maunakearesort.com/mauna-kea-beach-hotel/dining/casual/hau-tree— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for current concept, hours, signature items, and the lunch-to-dinner Cantina split. - Mauna Kea Resort – Hau Tree dining page (alternate path) —
https://www.maunakearesort.com/dine/casual/hau-tree— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for the same current identity details plus the “just steps from the beach” description and menu categories. - Google Places facts provided in prompt — URL available in prompt:
https://maps.google.com/?cid=12215558374073521829— retrieved 2026-04-01. Useful as the identity anchor for name, address, phone, operational status, rating, and Google’s hours posture. - Mauna Kea Beach Hotel dining overview on Marriott —
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/koaak-mauna-kea-beach-hotel-autograph-collection/dining/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for confirming Hau Tree as the beachside casual option and for broader resort dining context. - OpenTable – Hau Tree at Mauna Kea —
https://www.opentable.com/r/hau-tree-at-mauna-kea-kamuela— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for diner sentiment, reservation availability, ambiance notes, and value/food/service scoring. - Restaurantji – Hau Tree Waimea —
https://www.restaurantji.com/hi/waimea/hau-tree-/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for recurring guest-level complaints about service pacing and for menu-item examples like mahi mahi and Kahlua fries. - Mauna Kea Resort property map —
https://www.maunakearesort.com/pdf/mkbh-property-map.pdf— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for location confirmation at the resort and address cross-checking. - Mauna Kea Resort renewal page —
https://www.maunakearesort.com/renewal/— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for background on kitchen improvements and the current Hau Tree Cantina direction. - Mauna Kea menu PDF: Hau Tree dinner menu —
https://www.maunakearesort.com/pdf/hau-tree-dinner-menu.pdf— retrieved 2026-04-02. Useful for confirming menu items such as the Hau Tree burger and poke bowl.
