The Theatery

“We had an amazing fine dining experience. EVERYTHING was outstanding, service was excellent and the view from the terrace was more than beautiful. Farm to table eating on another level. And....we are from NYC, Manhattan, one of the best places to eat in the world ;-) Try the bone marrow!”

“We were looking for a place to stop to enjoy ocean views, have a drink and get a small bite to eat and Theatery was it! We sat at the bar (4 seats in total), enjoyed to sunset and out of this world Pupus (appetizers). I had The Sun and the Sea cocktail… honestly on of the best I’ve ever had. They have a pre and post sunset happy hour. The staff was so friendly and welcoming even though the restaurant was extremely busy when we stopped in, they managed to make our quick stop very special.”

“Exquisite dining experience! My husband had the pounded ahi tuna and it literally brought tears to his eyes, sharing it was by far the best dish he has ever eaten in his entire life. My short ribs and his kanpachi were amazing. We finished with a melon soup with basil oil that was incredible. We were tickled to find out we eating a meal prepared by legendary chef Stewart Woodman, the icing on the brulee! As lovely as out meal was, it was made even better by John, who provided exceptional service and was equally excited to serve this delicious food as we were to eat it!”

“What a treat to find a restaurant of this caliber and style in this part of the island. The theme is just brilliant, and often interwoven with whatever is playing at the historic theatre attached to it. It's elegant, nostalgic, but still 100% quirky Big Island. You may read other reviews from self-proclaimed "foodies" who critique Chef's choices for salt and acidity and think a dish needs to be different in order to be "proper." This kind of haughtiness doesn't belong here. This is a chef who has worked in some of the most respected kitchens in the country, and what you are experiencing is his specific interpretation of a dish. If it's not to your taste, it's your fault...not his. Each dish here is executed exquisitely and purposefully, and my crew (I'm a chef, and my friends have accumulated HUNDREDS of Michelin stars when dining around the world) was deeply and profoundly impressed. We arrived at happy hour to enjoy sunset drinks before our reservation, and the cocktail program here is strong and sophisticated. (The names are twists on cinematic tropes, and the drinks are exceptionally well balanced...a very welcome divergence from the uber-sweet woo-girl cocktails found in so many bars here.) Since we were 4, we were able to order a good portion of the menu, so we could each experience 10 dishes. The menu will change by the time YOU read this, so it's mostly irrelevant to discuss specific dishes, but it appears that some version of the Pounded Ahi dish is often on offer, and it was truly exceptional. An expertly crafted melange of textures, with the rich foie gras dusting delightfully contrasting the lean, smooth ahi, and crunchy cabbage rounding out the bottom. The lamb shank, which also appears to be a perennial player, was the single best lamb dish I've had in my life. (One reviewer said it reminded them of a mainland winter dish and didn't belong here, which is ludicrous. This isn't a tourist restaurant, there's not a resort for miles...this is a place for locals to experience fine dining without going to an overpriced resort and be surrounded by tourists.) The signature tableside Bananas Foster was a must-order. My friend is a New Orleans native, and bartended there for 2 decades. She is LOATHE to offer praise for a New Orleans signature dish anywhere other than home, and she begrudgingly acknowledged that the Bananas Foster here was better than at Brennan's...which is where the dish was invented. I still can't believe she said that. What also struck me was the pricing. By the time my group of 4 finished our 10 plates, had each had a cocktail, AND a bottle of wine, the tab was $75 each. I'm certain I've never had a meal of this caliber on the mainland for that cheap, and certainly not with this view, this laid-back ambience, and this whimsically themed. I desperately hope this place gets patronized enough to stick around, as it will become our priority reservation each time we come to the Big Island. We normally stay in Puna which means we'll be reworking our standard itinerary to accommodate a dinner here.) TL/DR: This is the best restaurant on the island right now, and a dinner here will be one of the highlights of your trip. We're still talking about it days later.”

“Let's just start off with, this was one of the best steaks iv ever had sooo tender melt in your mouth! All local to the island. I been wanting to try them since they opened and it's definitely I think one of the BEST restaurants on the island for sure! unique and different then all the other "fancy restaurants" that literally have the same exact sysco orderd food. The theatery has an amazing renowned chef who takes pride in their dishes, all fresh local ingredients. The views, the atmosphere, the service and of course the food is top notch! This is my now go to place for when I want to celebrate something special. My mom and I shared the bone marrow and the ulu dauphine both were fantastic!! I have been dreaming of that bone marrow ever since I saw they had it and it did not disappoint!!! We both got their dinner special steak filet with a lobster sauce and it was phenomenal!!! Melt in your mouth I savored every Bite! I also got an espresso martini which was delicious! We got a dessert to go the puna chocolate Panna cotta with ube...and it was also soooo good perfect for later after we were over our food coma 😋...our server Gram was exceptional and extremely nice and attentive, couldn't have asked for a better experience! will definitely be coming back and recommending to everyone!”