For our first night in Waikaloa, we thought we'd do something romantic - so we made reservations at the Italian restaurant at the Hilton, near the Ocean Tower. This Italian claims to be the "Best Italian in the Hawaiian Islands".
Well, to be frank, the place was OK, but way, WAY overpriced. If that is the best Italian the state has to offer, I think Hawaii should get emergency federal assistance in the form of a few good Italian chefs from New York City.
I had a $42 rack of lamb that tasted a lot like a $22 rack of lamb. My wife had a $25 spaghetti dish that tasted like a $12 spaghetti dish. We didn't even buy a bottle of wine because we recognized everything on the wine list - and how overpriced it was.
Atmosphere was okay - kind of romantic but not overly so. It's a large restaurant, but not too crowded, even on a Friday night.
In short, the food and service was good. I don't want to give the impression that Donatoni's doesn't do a good job. They do. We just expected something spectacular, and Donatoni's doesn't deliver anything out of the ordinary. Unless you are absolutely dying for Italian food and could care less what it costs, take a pass on this one.