Restaurants near Gemini Observatory

Best managed restaurant we know of on the island! Staff is always so friendly and recognize loyal guests. Food is delicious. We appreciate the wide selections of different categories. Love the “ Dynamite” offering!

This is truly a Japanese restaurant with all sashimi items flown in fresh from Japan.

Food, service and location - all excellent, thank you

From start to finish, our dining experience at Merriman’s in Waimea was nothing short of spectacular. Our evening started with an incredible display of hospitality. When we arrived, the restaurant was bustling with a wonderful, vibrant energy. The host greeted us warmly and confirmed he was the one we had spoken with on the phone. They quickly organized our table and seated us promptly. The service here is a well-oiled machine, powered by an incredible "double-Jim" dream team. Jim, our server, introduced us to our busser, who was also named Jim! Server-Jim and Busser-Jim were absolutely wonderful. Our water glasses were never, ever empty, and busser-Jim kept us perfectly stocked with bread, butter, and salt. Speaking of the bread—it was hands down the most wonderful bread we have ever tasted! Server-Jim was an absolute wealth of knowledge, incredibly patient (he graciously explained the fish special to us three times!), and spot-on with his recommendations. Per his advice, we started by sharing the lobster ravioli appetizer, and it was spectacular. For our mains and sides, our table enjoyed a beautiful spread: the chicken and onion quesadilla, Caesar salad, beet salad with the goat chèvre add-on, the Hawaiian steak, and the lamb. Every single dish was flawless. Now for the drinks: The famous Mai Tai is everything people say it is and more—that foam top is out of this world! But the real sleeper hit was the Manhattan. Server-Jim mentioned he has been a bourbon aficionado for over 40 years and highly recommended it. He was right. It was, without a doubt, the best Manhattan I’ve ever had. Perfect. The ambiance was exactly what you want for a memorable dinner—happy voices, a lively but comfortable volume, and an atmosphere where you can tell everyone is thoroughly enjoying themselves. Thank you, Merriman’s, and especially Jim and Jim, for an unforgettable night. We will be talking about this meal for a very long time!

Have been coming here for years and it just keeps getting better! Love the atmosphere, location , food, drinks and wonderful staff! An island favorite hands down!