Overview
Magics Beach Grill is an oceanfront, full-service restaurant in Kailua-Kona that leans into sunset dining, cocktails, and locally inspired Hawaiian fusion rather than a purely casual beach shack format. It sits beside Magic Sands Beach/“Disappearing Sands Beach,” which is a major part of the appeal: people come for the view, the waves, and the sense of being right on the Kona coast, not just for the food.
The place appears to be an established, operational dine-in restaurant with a substantial review base and a clear tourist draw. Google lists it as a mid-priced restaurant/bar with long daily hours, and the restaurant’s own site describes lunch and dinner service plus a separate casual Beach Shack concept nearby. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
Cuisine & Specialties
Magics’ food lane is Hawaiian-fusion and seafood-forward, with cocktails playing a major role in the experience. The restaurant’s own site emphasizes locally sourced ingredients, and third-party menu/review coverage consistently points to a mix of seafood mains, shareable pupus, and a few comfort-leaning dishes that work well with drinks and sunset views. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Overall menu style: full-service lunch and dinner with Hawaiian fusion, seafood, shareable pupus, and a strong bar program; separate Beach Shack nearby for casual breakfast/lunch items. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Notable dishes/specialties with support: fish tacos, cajun pasta, Ahi poke nachos, Magic’s Wings with Sticky Shoyu Sauce, seared scallops with lemon-parmesan risotto, Magic’s Famous Ono Fish & Chips, Truffle Parmesan Ulu, pineapple fried rice, Cajun Shrimp Pasta, and the Lawai’a Trio. (wanderlog.com)
- Drinks: signature Mai Tais, Mermaid Lemonade, draft beer, and a curated wine list are repeatedly highlighted; the restaurant positions cocktails as a core part of the experience. (opentable.com)
- Price expectation: Google’s price level 2 suggests moderate pricing rather than bargain dining; traveler reviews also suggest this is a place where the view and setting are part of what you’re paying for. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Dietary usefulness / limits: there is at least one vegetarian entrée and a few sides/pupus noted in secondary coverage, but veggie-friendly options appear limited compared with the seafood and meat focus. (keauhouakahi.com)
Notable Features & Ambiance
This is primarily a sit-down oceanfront meal with a strong sunset orientation. The setting is a major part of the experience: outdoor/lanai seating, surf and beach views, and a lively, sometimes noisy atmosphere from waves, crowds, and live music. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Service model and seating: full-service table service; ocean-view lanai/outdoor patio seating plus an indoor bar area. The restaurant also runs a separate walk-up Beach Shack for pickup/quick service. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Atmosphere and decor: coastal, casual, energetic, and sunset-oriented rather than quiet or formal; live music is advertised on Friday and Saturday evenings. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Amenities/practical features: reservations are supported through OpenTable; the restaurant notes large-party dining and takeout on its ordering page. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Best fit: sunset dinners, date nights, cocktail-led meals, and visitor meals where the view matters as much as the food. (opentable.com)
- Weaker fit: travelers seeking quiet, fast, or deeply budget-conscious dining; the setting is lively and peak sunset service can get crowded. Vegetarian-only diners may also find the menu limited. (opentable.com)
History & Background
Magics Beach Grill is locally rooted rather than a generic chain concept. The restaurant says owner Mattson Davis has called the Big Island home since March 1997, and that the idea for the restaurant began in 2017 with a goal of creating a community gathering place for North Kona. The same source also notes his prior leadership experience with Kona Brewing Co., which helps explain why the restaurant leans hard into hospitality, drinks, and local relationships. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
Review Sentiment Snapshot
What People Love
Review patterns consistently praise the oceanfront setting, sunset views, and friendly service. Travelers also repeatedly mention cocktails, especially Mai Tais, and several seafood-leaning dishes such as fish tacos, poke-focused plates, scallops, and fish & chips. Many guests describe it as a strong date-night or celebratory choice because the view and mood are memorable. (wanderlog.com)
Common Gripes
The most recurring downside is crowding at peak sunset times, with longer waits and a noisier atmosphere. Some reviews suggest mixed results on certain dishes, especially fish & chips, and a few guests feel some entrées or specials are small relative to price. Vegetarian options also appear limited. These are not universal complaints, but they are supported often enough to treat as real tradeoffs rather than one-off grumbles. (wanderlog.com)
Practical Visitor Tips
- The restaurant’s own site currently shows 11:00 AM–8:30 PM hours for the main dining room, while Google lists 8:00 AM–8:30 PM daily; that difference likely reflects the Beach Shack versus the full-service restaurant, so check which concept you want before you go. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Sunset is the most popular time and also the busiest; if you want a calmer visit, lunch or an earlier dinner reservation is the safer choice. (opentable.com)
- Reservations are a good idea, especially for ocean-side seating, live-music nights, weekends, or holidays. (opentable.com)
- Expect a lively beachfront setting rather than a quiet room; waves, crowds, and live music are part of the experience. (opentable.com)
- If you want a more casual or quicker option, the Beach Shack offers walk-up breakfast/lunch items, while the main restaurant is the better pick for a sit-down sunset meal. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
Verification Notes
- Official name/address/phone/website align across Google and the restaurant’s own site: Magics Beach Grill, 77-6452 Ali‘i Dr, Kailua-Kona, HI 96740, (808) 662-4427, magicsbeachgrill.com. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Google lists the business as OPERATIONAL; no closure signal was found. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- Minor hours drift exists between Google and the official site, likely because the property includes both the full-service restaurant and the Beach Shack concept. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
- No major identity mismatch found. (magicsbeachgrill.com)
Sources
- Magics Beach Grill official homepage —
https://magicsbeachgrill.com/— retrieved 2026-04-02; best for official description of the restaurant, service model, hours, and the Beach Shack split. - Magics Beach Grill official About page —
https://magicsbeachgrill.com/about— retrieved 2026-04-02; best for ownership background and local-rooted origin story. - Magics Beach Grill official online ordering page —
https://magicsbeachgrill.com/order/magics-beach-grill/item-koloa_687dda05-7901-47d3-8613-0260980abecb— retrieved 2026-04-02; useful for pickup/takeout wording and operational details. - Google Place details for Magics Beach Grill —
https://maps.google.com/?cid=13372597015264406949— retrieved 2026-04-01; baseline identity anchor for name, address, phone, status, rating, and hours. - OpenTable listing for Magics Beach Grill —
https://www.opentable.com/r/magics-beach-grill-kailua-kona— retrieved 2026-04-02; most useful for reservations posture, seating, atmosphere, cocktails, busiest times, and dish/favorites patterns. Some statements here are summary/inference from restaurant listing content and user-review aggregates. - Wanderlog listing for Magics Beach Grill —
https://wanderlog.com/place/details/440746/magics-beach-grill— retrieved 2026-04-02; useful for recurring traveler-visible dish mentions and mixed-review cautions, especially fish & chips. - Keauhou Akahi / Hale Hāhālua post on Magics Beach Grill —
https://www.keauhouakahi.com/magics-beach-grill/— retrieved 2026-04-02; useful for local-context observations on the beach setting and vegetarian limitation, though this is a secondary local blog-style source.
