Steph C.
Yelp
My husband and I stayed at the Four Seasons Hualalai Resort last month, and we had dinner at Residents' Beach House the Friday night of our trip. This was the most casual of the hotel's four restaurants, with a bar and a beachfront patio and an unfussy menu. Still overpriced, of course, but it is the cheapest option on the property, and the next closest restaurant is at least a 15-minute drive away.
The space was lovely, right on the water. We had a 6:00 reservation and got to watch the sun set while we ate. The vibe was low-key and pleasant, and service was solid. There was just one hiccup. We were brought an order of french fries we didn't order, which we were told to enjoy on the house. When the bill came, we saw we were charged for them, and had to have our server adjust our check. She was apologetic, but it was still iffy, especially since something similar happened at 'Ulu like the very next day. It's a good thing we checked, because the staff was not going to catch the error on their own.
Anyway, it was an otherwise enjoyable experience. I had a nice mocktail while I took in the views, a Liliko'i Mojito with passionfruit purée, fresh lime, fresh mint, and sparkling water. The food was decent, starting with bread and butter with Hawaiian salt. My husband and I shared the steamed shrimp and the pork ribs to start. Both were fine. The shrimp was steamed with Kona Longboard Lager and served with liliko'i cocktail sauce and malt vinegar aioli. The ribs were glazed with honey and tamarind, not the tenderest or most flavorful, but okay, and I liked the chilled cucumber namasu on the side. We also ate some of the fries, which weren't bad, but not worth paying for. For my entrée, I went with the grilled lemongrass prawns, which came with baby bok choy, fried rice, and mango lime vinaigrette. Pretty tasty, actually. I'd recommend it if you're eating here and feeling like shrimp. My husband had the cheese pizza, which wasn't exciting but got the job done.
If you're staying at the Four Seasons, chances are good you'll end up at Residents' Beach House once or twice, whether for a meal or just for drink. The food isn't special, but the place is still quite idyllic. Hard to beat sipping a tropical beverage while watching a beachfront sunset.