Papa Kona Events

The food was phenomenal, our guest are raving about the guava pork sliders, mochiko chicken, the scrumptious beef and the marlin covered in furikake. Our venue leader, KISA was on top of everything and made sure everything was perfect. Mel and Kaipono took care of our guest so well and so very helpful and welcoming. If there was 10 stars I would have rate them 10 stars

she was fantastic. Calm and cool and got stuff done!

g every step of the way. We had constant communication with our coordinators and they were very accommodating when it came to taking tours and having questions. They also provide a walk through rehearsal, which was perfect as we didn't have a rehearsal dinner. We did a few walk throughs with Kisa, our day of coordinator, the day before the wedding and it was super helpful as none of us knew what we were doing. Again, the staff here is absolutely WONDERFUL and the food was delicious! I have no complaints whatsoever. They helped make it a night to remember. Highly recommend Papa Kona for your wedding!

reviews, affordable packages, and unparalleled beauty. The wedding planning process went seamlessly from start to finish, as many services were included in our package (DJ, chairs food, cake, and even favors!). The only outside vendors we needed to secure were photographers, florists, and makeup. Even then, we received a list of recommended vendors which helped our decision making. The Papa Kona staff helped us feel supported throughout the process! We had the privilege of working with Chey and Kisa, and they both were extremely organized and made sure everything ran smoothly. The wedding day itself was magical… The staff ensured we had plates of apps waiting for us at our table (HIGHLY recommend the avocado fries), and our 40 guests were raving about the food and cake. We went with the lilikoi filling on a vanilla cake and are happy we did. Many people claim this was one of the most beautiful and fun weddings they have been to, and we could not agree more. Thank you, Papa Kona, for giving us the wedding of our dreams! I would highly recommend anyone considering a Hawaii wedding use Papa Kona!

hing but positive things to say about Papa Kona. Planning a destination wedding seemed like the hardest part but honestly Papa Kona has a very experienced team and they handled everything for us. I communicated mainly with Alycia and Cheyenne for all planning purposes and while most of the time I felt as if I had crazy, outlandish requests they didn't even flinch and always made it work for us or had other ideas and options for us to choose from. They were wonderful to work with. All of my DIY decor for the reception was set up for me which made everything super easy. The food was really, really good and I highly recommend the poke bar! Papa Kona is the perfect location in my opinion because its right in the middle of everything but also was very private and romantic. The staff did a great job making sure we didn't have anyone from the restaurant watching our ceremony which made it feel more intimate. Overall, we highly encourage anyone looking to plan a wedding to check out Papa Kona! You will not regret it! Remember the words, "dream wedding."

Alycia and Cheyenne were so easy to work with and made wedding planning so easy! As a very organized person I was so grateful to work with an amazing team who made all of my tiny details come to life. I shipped all of my décor to Cheyenne about 2 weeks prior to the wedding to ensure that everything made it. They set up everything exactly how I wanted and worked with me in making my dreams come true. Our guests could not stop raving about the food!! It's been almost two months since we got married, and they still compliment how excellent the food was and how nice the staff was. Do not walk, RUN to book your wedding here, you won't regret it!

D vegan) and they accomodated everything without issue (even the desserts were both GF and vegan!). Teira was phenomenal to work with (I love her!), and made everything comfortable and stress-free. The staff are pros and made everything appear to be seamless. Our guests even commented about how well orchestrated the staff was, and for once they didn't have to help with a wedding they were attending!

k with, answering all of my questions, and providing a lot of advice and suggestion that was so helpful. Cheyenne was our day-of event manager, and she made sure I didn't have to worry about anything day-of. The food was absolutely delicious, and was possibly one of the best meals we had on the Islands! All of the staff were so friendly and helpful during our event. We would highly recommend Papa Kona to anyone planning a wedding or event!

l. We couldn't have asked for more on our wedding day. As the bride, the most value added for me was the day-of coordination. Teira operated everything so smoothly and I didn't have to worry about a single thing. I was able to fully enjoy every moment of the day!

a type A bride. The Papa kona staff set up all my DIY touches without hesitation so I was able to enjoy the day with close family and friends. I would choose them all over in a heart beat. Thank each of you so much for making our day everything we could have dreamed of and more. Book Papa Kona for your upcoming wedding you won’t regret it.

h the set up as well as making sure everything ran smoothly and in a timely matter. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of people and venue to work with. They were very accommodating to our guests and groom’s dietary needs (vegan). All of the food was absolutely delicious! The venue and views are beautiful it is also the best location for picture perfect sunsets! If you are looking for the perfect wedding venue right along the beach Papa Kona is the place to book you won’t be disappointed!

and this venue really does. We ended up having to reschedule because of COVID and their team worked with us the entire time to get everything moved, we were able to move to a date that was pretty close to our original date which was awesome. Almost every detail was taken care of by them with the exception of flowers, music and an officiant. The vendor list they gave us was so helpful and because those vendors are there so often I really didn’t have to give them much direction. Our food was amazing, really it was the most important thing to us and we were amazed. The venues views are absolutely stunning, if you look at anyones photos you really cannot beat that sunset view. We will always recommend Papa Kona! We had such a wonderful time and I wish we could do it all over.

mendations to helping us with the smaller details, she made wedding planning from afar a breeze. Our day of coordinator, Tiera, helped us during the two weeks leading up to our wedding & was there with us on our special day. She put me at ease during those two weeks & made sure that our wedding day was just as we envisioned it. All of our guests raved about the food, as well as our specialty cocktails, and the staffs impeccable service. There isn’t a thing I would change about our wedding day, & we were even lucky enough to have the most beautiful Hawaiian sunset during our photos & dinner. There isn’t a bad view at this venue. I’m so happy we chose Papa Kona!

g that time. Planning a wedding during a pandemic was super stressful. However, Alycia made everything a breeze and was super helpful when it came to answering questions, and there were a lot! Korie and her team made our wedding day a dream. It rained on our wedding day, but the staff remained calm and cool under the pressure to relocate our ceremony in a short time frame. Instead of having it ocean-side, we had it upstairs on the covered lanai. The view was even better than we could have imagined and everyone stayed dry. There was truly something for everyone at our reception. We opted for the Luau Feast and passed pupus, and they were scrumptious! Our favorites were the potstickers and the Hawaiian-style poke. So good!!! Our coconut and lilikoi wedding cake was delicious! We’ve been craving it since the wedding. We danced under the bistro lights and stars on the lanai, which was so much fun! It's been two months since our big day and our guests are still raving about how much they enjoyed our wedding! Yours will too!!!

he rehearsal to the ceremony to the reception, everything was beyond my wildest dreams. They thought of everything we didn’t, and we’re always one step ahead of my questions. Don’t even get me started on the food and cake. Just WOW. My husband had a dream of having roasted pig, and they took it in stride and did not disappoint. They worked with us to personalize the whole dinner menu and cake, and everything was absolutely delicious. I am still getting compliments from my guests months later. Whether you’re from the Hawaiian islands or from somewhere else planning a destination wedding, I cannot recommend anything more than Papa Kona. I’ll forever be so grateful for how they treated us, and how easy they made the entire wedding process.

off all our wedding boxes, it almost seemed too good to be true. Alycia, our initial contact was kind, and incredibly informative throughout the covid crisis, which we couldn't believe was still a crisis but it was. Alycia really took the time to understand what we were looking for and was constantly reassuring that we could have everything on our wishlist (and baby, we got it.) The big thing for me as a bride was, I just want the best vendors to do what they do best. I didn't want to make any decisions other than the food (Thank you Korie for taking us through that and thank you for letting me change in your office) (Absolutely do the taco bar, it's exceptional). ALL OF my vendors were incredible women owned businesses (except for the DJ but Glenn you're the real hero), and I basically gave them full agency to do what they do best and they did not disappoint! It was truly a wedding surrounded by support, and for a bride who never dreamt about her wedding day...I can honestly say it was the best day of my life, of our life, and we couldn't have done it without our amazing team. I also just want to give a special special shout out to our end event manager and day of coordinator and bridal attendant Teira Ila, who is a STAR! She absolutely rocked it the night of our wedding. There was a pipe burst (what are the odds) the night of our wedding and my guests had no idea until we left. She is a problem solver to the max and an incredibly attentive day of person. She also radiates this light and love you can't find in stores. She's really special. Anywho, you'd be a fool not to get married here. It's worth every penny. We can't wait to come back.

t food we had while our entire stay on the island. The poke especially was amazing as was the chicken. Really all the food was memorable from the pupus to the cake. The setting was lovely and intimate. Highly recommend.

uests, the venue can most definitely host a lot more, and still feel spacious. Because of our last minute RSVP cancellations, Korie brought out some furniture into the deck to fill the space so our single table didn't look lost in all the extra space. The views were stunning, the catering was incredible. It made our wedding day absolutely unforgettable.

me. She accommodated my needs as necessary. We were told we were the biggest wedding party since the pandemic and we all felt safe and just everything went perfect. Thank you Korie and staff.

ood portions were very generous and the food quality was very good. We ordered our wedding cake through them and it was delicious! You can't go wrong with the views of the bay and the sounds of the ocean. Papa Kona has a lot to offee.

ding and the brunch were such a success and I am so thankful I had them as our caterer. Thank you to Alycia and Korie for all their help, support and understanding these past couple years (literally)! Due to Covid, we had to change plans a couple times however despite all the pivots, two postponements, calls, and emails - Alycia and Korie were always kind, empathetic and responsive! Everyone loved the food and I am still dreaming of the sweet potato au gratin and the Kalua pork sliders! A special thank you to Korie and the incredible on site staff for taking such good care of us and our guests on our wedding day. This was literally the wedding of our dreams and it went so smoothly! We had the best time. Thank you Papa Kona!

our families. All we had to do was show up and enjoy the day/night! Korie and Alycia were so incredibly responsive from the day we inquired to the day of the event. Korie was one of the first people we saw upon arrival and she made sure the entire thing ran seamlessly. She calmed my nerves, made me feel comfortable, and was always checking to see if there was anything she could do. She even bustled my dress afterwards!!! The food was top tier quality and we still talk about it to this day. We are pizza connoisseurs and I must say that the pizza was some of the best we had ever had, along with the avocado fries, pulled pork sliders and cheese gougeres! The ceremony was executed flawlessly with the help of our officiant Mike and his amazing wife Dawn who took Iphone photos from above on the balcony for us to have right away. Everything following the reception was truly perfect and they brought my entire vision to life and I didn't even have to lift a finger. Our wedding there was the best day of our lives! Do yourself a favor, stop your search and look no further, book with Papa Kona. You won't regret it. Beautiful venue and the best staff. We can't wait to go back and visit one day!

0 miles away, and a time difference of 5 hours. Planning our wedding from afar was definitely nerve wracking, but everything turned out so wonderfully and even better than expected. Korie was seriously incredible, and amazing to work with. She had such good rapport with our other vendors as well, and they collectively welcomed us and our family to big island. You will not regret choosing this venue for your next event – wedding or otherwise! Please check out their social media, and PLEASE do not miss your opportunity to enjoy their incredible cake!

The venue wedding planner was easy to work with and was available to answer any questions we had along the way. They even made a custom cake flavor for my husband and I that wasn’t on their normal menu. The food and staff were amazing as well. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

the water overlooking town! We reserved the whole upstairs for our event, it rained and our coordinator Teira made sure all the tables stayed dry and covered. She was a big help with set up, they provide tables/chairs/utensils and we brought our own flowers and candles which she laid out in a beautiful way - i was impressed! We were there during a rise in COVID so Teira had a call with me days in advance to review their rules and graciously made sure our guests kept in order with COVID policies. For our menu we did a dessert bar and open consumption bar, we asked that our guests have dinner beforehand, the event was 7pm-11pm. The amount of food was perfect for our guests. I did feel slightly pressured by the Papa Kona Corporate team who tried to up sell me and said i needed to provide more food to our guests, but the amount we had was perfect, no food went to waste, and everyone said how delicious and unique the desserts were. Overall i highly recommend for welcome drinks or for a small private wedding right on the water.

lanning a destination wedding during a pandemic isn’t ideal, but having it at Papa Kona made things a lot easier. Their wedding packages include almost everything! Our coordinators, Alycia and Korie were great! On the day of, Korie was so wonderful and helpful. Thank you Papa Kona for giving us a beautiful wedding! Shoutout to all Papa Kona staff, Hawaii Sound & Vision, and Charles Grace (live musician).

g job making sure we had all the information we needed to make the best choices for our day especially while planning remotely! While we were in Kona, Teira prepared everything so we didn’t have to worry about a thing on our big day. During the night the entire bar staff was phenomenal. We couldn’t think of a bad thing to say about the staff and the venue. They exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to get married!

t in contact with my maid of honor and husband all while I was getting ready. When the rain stopped, she was even willing to move the venue back outside upon my request, but ultimately we kept it inside and I am glad we did. I loved the 'alternative' ceremony upstairs. It was intimate and beautiful. Overall, planning and execution were wonderful. We couldn't be happier. Thanks Alycia!

lanner, cooks, servers, bartenders, and clean up staff could not have done a better job. You should be very proud of yourselves. Mahola to all you❣️

l and kind. Korie and Alycia were amazing!! Korie made the day run so smoothly even when we had to move the timeline around last minute for the rain. The food and the cake were delicious and well. Our guests raved about how beautiful the venue was and how awesome our wedding was. Definitely don’t skip on the late night snacks!

te wedding in Kona with our closest friends and family. We had a small guest list of 30 people and it was PERFECT. Teira was the most amazing coordinator. She allowed me the comfort to call/email/text whenever I had questions. She steered me in the right direction when I couldn't decide on something. She offered suggestions but supported my overall choices, and she coordinated the flow of the day perfectly. Our guests all raved about her as well. Thank you, Teira!! The food was also outstanding. We selected the luau buffet and our guests said it was the most delicious wedding food they've ever had -- seriously! I just couldn't get over how easy and FUN it was to plan this wedding with Papa Kona compared to the wedding we were planning in Texas. Papa Kona goes above and beyond and if you want a stress-free wedding, this is the place to do it at. One thing to note as well, the location is perfect! Being right in the heart of Ali'i Dr made it super convenient for everyone to walk over to a bar after the wedding and keep the party going. Thank you for everything, Papa Kona!

our planning felt like it was a challenge. The team at Papa Kona stepped up in a big way! Not only did they take off all the pressure but Alycia and Korie were absolute stars. We were married at the Holualoa Inn and used Papa Kona only for catering but the service, food, and attention to detail was amazing. We like you will probably will had last minute guest changes and they took it in stride. We are planning a return trip and will definitely have a dinner at their amazing location.

y a breeze and handled everything the day of. The venue and the food were absolutely spectacular and my guests kept telling me it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding. I am still dreaming about my cake.

a wedding planned at another location in May of 2020, but due to COVID (of course), we had to reschedule. Papa Kona was so accommodating for a last minute booking change! We were able to snag our date about 2 months prior to the date of the event. Korie (the event planner / manager) was so helpful, and I cannot recommend her enough! She was able to accommodate all of requests, and make the absolute BEST out of a "covid-era" event. We were able to customize our buffet menu options to fit exactly what we wanted, and we even chose the Poke Bar as a pre-reception appetizer / cocktail hour....EVERYONE LOVED THAT! Definitely reccommend adding that to your menu. Another option that is so great, is that you can bring in your own cake, which I had someone that I knew make my cake, so I was happy we were able to do that! Night of the actual event, the staff that were working our reception, we SO NICE & FRIENDLY, and that added to overall atmosphere! Ocean-front dining....what more can you ask for!!! Would recommend Papa Kona to anyone, and hope to host another event with them in the future!!!

as their "favourite wedding they'd ever been to" which was so nice to hear, and we think that it was thanks to the amazing food and lovely setting (the mai tais probably helped too). We live in Canada, and planned our wedding from afar. So, we booked the venue without seeing it in person. Alycia and her team were super organized, communicative, flexible, patient and friendly. They worked seamlessly with our photographer and florist to keep the process low stress. FOOD: We had the luau buffet and it was incredible (especially the kalua pork and taro au gratin)! The vegan and gluten free options also got positive reviews from guests. We had plenty of leftovers, which we happily feasted on the next day.  For the cake, we opted for one with coconut icing and lilikoi filling - which was phenomenal and got demolished very, very quickly.  We also had a rehearsal brunch at the restaurant the morning before the wedding, which we'd also highly recommend. ATMOSPHERE & VIBE: Papa Kona was a great fit for us since we really wanted a venue with a waterfront/sunset view, a place with some character and charm, and that fit our budget.  While it's a lively restaurant on the busy Kona strip, the wedding space felt super private. We had the whole floor (including a bar, restrooms, and balcony) to ourselves. The view from the lanai is amazing and the decor feels fresh, classic and timeless with nice wood accents. It's also a pretty flexible space which is a bonus. We kept it very simple decor wise (we brought a few candles and scattered loose, white orchids on the tables) and it still felt like it had lots of atmosphere.  CEREMONY & LOGISTICS: It ended up raining on our wedding day, so we had our ceremony indoors (as Alanis Morissette would say - how ironic). But, it was still beautiful! In retrospect, we think we should've been our original plan; we still left like we were on the water with the ocean breeze and amazing view as our backdrop. It also made it easier for our guests to mingle before and after the ceremony without having to go up and down the stairs/travel through the restaurant.  My advice would be to talk through a rain plan very thoroughly just in case (same goes for any venue). Luckily, Alycia and the rest of the Papa Kona team were able to keep everything moving smoothly on our day and didn't skip a beat.  If you're looking for a place with charm, amazing food, and aloha - this is the spot!

we thought, let's just inquire & see....and we are SO GLAD we did! We got married on NYE 19-20 & lucked out with perfect weather (rain day before & after, but no worries, there's a rainy day plan in case) for a beautiful late afternoon wedding. Not only was it affordable (we kept it small & got 2weeks in paradise vs a local wedding for 4x the amount of ppl) but it's basically a one stop shop with all your wedding needs (Ceremony -Totally provides an intimate setting, cocktail hour, reception, cake (delish), food (delish), bar packages (flexible options), favors, tables, chairs, white linens, tableware, dj, sound & lighting). Anything they don't offer, they provide you with referrals & social media makes it easy to research. From our first call & every call/email thereafter (Thank you for your time & patience Alycia), planning from the mainland was a breeze. Another top feature I love about this venue is that you can go small or semi large with guests (we had around 50), simple or elaborate & end up with a beautiful wedding either way bc the location provides the best backdrop. You will have the best photos taken right there, again NO REASON to leave the venue. Everything venue/ceremony/reception related went on without a hitch, and for my type A personality, that in itself was a dream come true. We literally had a perfect day in paradise & are so grateful for Alycia & the team for helping us achieve it. (I'd also like to note, we'd only visited Kona once, years before & doing a quick venue trip for planning just wasn't in the cards, but we had a good idea of the location. It's right on the main strip of Kona town, close to Royal Kona & a bit further, but still close to the Marriott. Honestly there's no need for a pre visit if you can't make it, foods delish, no tasting needed, just BOOK THEM NOW! You will not regret it.) Aloha & cheers to planning your perfect day in paradise!

eam is so responsive and helpful!!