Prima

My boyfriend and I LOVE Bob’s Pizza in Kailua but recently have changed our mind to what our new favorite pizza place is and that’s Prima! It’s funny because making that statement for us is quite a big deal… we are big Bob’s fans.
However, Prima is awesome! Gourmet pizzas at reasonable prices that taste AMAZING. We’ve got the Kona Street pizza twice now which is absolutely delicious with the egg and truffle oil, the caesar salad is so tasty, and their brussel sprouts are very good too. They make all their pizzas in a brick oven and the pies come out perfect each time. If you sit at the bar you can watch them make everything in front of you which I actually really enjoy. It’s fun to watch them hand toss the dough or put together one of their salads or appetizers.
The staff is super friendly and it’s BYOB so you can pick up whatever you want from Foodland or Whole Foods before you come in.
Highly recommend coming here and we’ve really enjoyed it each time! The only thing is we’ve done takeout before… which is good but it’s much better to have it fresh out of the oven so we would recommend you eat in the restaurant. You won’t be disappointed!

Pizza delicious, and watching the pizza maker stretch the dough is a treat allows by itself. We had fungi and Margherita pizzas, delicious! The desserts were poetry, raspberry sorbet with rosemary inspired.. Lime pannacotta had smoothest texture! I didn’t come to Oahu for pizza, but so glad we came here!

Just grabbed a few pizzas to try for the holidays. If you like unique pizzas done in a traditional stone oven than you will appreciate this place. If not, there is always a Pizza Hut or Papa John’s around to satisfy your craving. Being more of a gourmand, I appreciate adventures of the palate and so I wanted to give Prima’s pizzas a try. But I must admit that I was a little disappointed. I got the «Basil Lemon», «Funghi», and «Margherita» and none of them were overly impressive. Basil Lemon and Funghi was better than the Margherita which desperately needed more toppings. All the pizzas were on the dry side and dough was a little too salty for my taste but had a good texture and taste otherwise. Funghi was the most popular with my family but I enjoyed the unique and lighter flavor of the Lemon Basil as well.
It was Christmas day so service was friendly but slow. Though I ordered the pizzas a half hour earlier, I still had to wait another 15 min for them to make two of the three of them. But at least I got to see them being made which was a plus.
I will definitely return at least one more time though as they have some incredible looking appetizers and desserts (Nutella Calzone!) that I did not get try yet. They seem to have a good rotating specials menu so that will bring me back in again too.

I’m currently sitting in Prima. We ordered two pizzas. Our first pizza came out about 20 minutes ago with a partially burnt crust. The waitress, who is in shorts, slippers, and an open back too, hasn’t even come by to tell us anything about why two entrees are coming out over 20 minutes apart.
There are currently three other parties here one that came in after us has already gotten their food.
Maybe if the waitress wasn’t so busy cuddling up with her boyfriend at the bar, she would have refilled the water of the customer who judge asked up to her to ask for a refill and she would be able to update us about what is taking so damn long. I tried calling her over but she is just plain avoiding walking near our table.
It’s a shame that the service here is so poor because the food isn’t half bad. The taste of the food is what saved this review from being one star.
We finally got our second pizza and the girl just says, «oh, yeah, we can only cook one pizza at a time in our oven». I wouldn’t want to be here on a busy night

Prima proves that sometimes you don’t need to be a jack of all trades, sometimes it’s better to be a master of one.
Prima is intimate and homey. Tucked away in the shopping center next to foodland, Prima has a small menu consisting of salads, sandwiches and pizza. It’s not a huge selection but everything they produce is deliciously made with quality ingredients. Our faves are the sopressata and arugula sandwich (spicy and crunchy), the sopressata pizza (we obviously like sopressata) and, when our toddler son is hungry, the prosciutto and arugula pizza (spicy arugula with melt in your mouth prosciutto).
They don’t serve alcohol but allow you to bring your own. Foodland and whole foods are right next door so pick up your beer, wine or, on a particularly hot day, champagne, and they are happy to provide you with glasses.
My only complaint is that the servers come and go, so the wait service is just okay. Also, they only have one high chair…

Just a few miles down the road from where we were staying in Waimanalo, Prima was our Sunday night dinner and we were not disappointed.
Note that it is BYOB and that’s ok because there is a grocery store right next door!
The pizza is cooked in a stone oven hearth and it is made just right. Not too crunchy and not too doughy.
Definitely try the lemongrass pizza. Oh and the lime panna cotta.
Staff is super friendly!

Prima is a great neighborhood spot for pizza and salad. Trying tonight’s salad special — harvest salad (arugula, bacon, Boursin cheese, and a pear vinaigrette) and the pork belly pizza. Service is great and no corkage so byob!

How have I lived in Kailua for over 2 years and not tried Prima? Well last night I went with a group of gal pals as we bid farewell to one who is PCSing. (That’s code for moving to all non-​military who might be reading)
The Pros —
the staff was super delightful.
The space is small but nice and simple.
The food, I tried the Lemon Basil pizza, was pretty good.
The Cons —
It’s BYOB, but that isn’t a HUGE deal because there is a wine shop and Food land next door.
The food came out sssllloooowwwww
For the price, it wasn’t impressive. While it did taste good, the pizza crust was overloaded making it thin and everything fell off when you picked up a slice. Also, the pie is small making it more like a large appetizer.
I would actually come back here, but I wouldn’t be a regular.

There has been a hole in my heart ever since V-​Lounge closed its doors. Since its untimely departure every other pizza join has paled in comparison and one way or another always seems to fall short. Either the crust is wrong or the toppings are incompatible and inevitably I’m left a little sadder for my efforts.
It’s been a few years since I last visited Prima and when my in-​laws suggested we go here for dinner after a hike I jumped at the chance to see if my beloved V-​Lounge pizza could once again be found. For anyone who’s ever been left broken hearted we all know that taking a chance to fall in love again is never easy. I was completely prepared for the worst second date ever, but as with all the men I’ve loved in my life, it was a pleasant surprise and one I’m happy to come back to again and again! Prima has the same wonderful pizza as V-​Lounge — crisp crust, fresh and flavorful toppings, with margherita being a simple favorite. But thankfully it has a much more enjoyable environment than it’s now gone counterpart. I like a good dive bar as much as the next girl, but I much prefer the casual bistro style dining at Prima.
Currently they’re BYOB so be sure to take advantage while this lasts. R Fields is right next door and has a fantastic wine selection. They also take reservations if you’ve got a big party so make sure to call ahead!

Ok… I know I’m getting crazy here in my obsession with Prima… but I am SO not ashamed of it! Beau and I went in last night for our usual margherita with basil and truffle oil pizza (one each– again– not ashamed to admit that I’ll eat one by myself) and lemon basil sorbet and sea salted caramel ice cream. Mind you, everything is prepared there and all ingredients are fresh and local! That usually satisfies us just fine (minus this one time where beau and i got a third pizza to split… errr… nope– still not ashamed) — but this time they shared with us an oven-​roasted Brussel sprout dish with bacon or pepperoni or prosciutto with truffle oil and lemon or vinegar or some kind of drug mixed in it that encourages complete and utter awe and addiction… we just about died and gone to heaven… It was so amazing! Beau and I were just ilihia (hawaiian for «awe struck»). I will go so far as to say that I am so super mad at them for making such perfect dishes and pizza that I can’t have those things anywhere else now! Like– it HAS to be from Prima or just simply should not exist. Anyway– beau and i slept so well that night– despite all the food we ate– and decided that «hey– we’d like us some brunch» — but where? WHERE??? …Yes, prima, of course!
Whew!
So glad we did that… Beau got the sweet bread French Toast with berries and kiwi, I got the kailua lox pizzetta (smoked ono, cream cheese, capers, dill, red onion and cherry tomatoes and a poached egg on a beautiful pizzetta)… all served with a fresh french pressed coffee… I cried… inside… and so did beau… and it was such a moving and thrilling delicious experience… Beau said «I like the sound of kittens meowing and the blast of fireworks on my chest– and I get that at prima» … yes, he did say that… :-) and i don’t disagree… they’ve got food porn down to a science.

Best pizza on the island with a thin chewy crust that’s as close to Hawaii’s gonna get to Italy. However, the real winner of my dinner was the grilled Caesar salad: a warm lightly charged head of local romaine with a bright housemade caesar dressing.
I wouldn’t hesitate to say this is my favorite restaurant in Kailua and worth the drive there.

Boyfriend and I agreed– we have found our all time favorite pizza spot. And who knew it was gonna be a cute little place in Kailua? In the past few weeks, we have discovered Prima and eaten there three times already. Haha!
Prima is a small setup right next to Foodland, which works perfect for their BYOB policy– great selection of wine to choose from and take back. No corkage fee and they provide red and white wine glasses. Alright! So, most notable feature of Prima is that their pizza is made in a brick oven! Their dough is the perfect consistency, nice outside crust, but not too thick. It actually reminded me faintly of a close friends homemade tortillas. Their signature pizzas have very fresh, high quality ingredients and they have red sauce, no sauce and a spectacular pizza with olive oil and lemon! Our favorite is the Kona Street pizza, that has a poached egg in the middle! Put a few splashes of their house hot sauce and you are set to go!
Their appetizers are rather fancy (kiawe fire grilled tako?!) and unique as well, and desserts are simple but delicious. Customer service is tops, and if you sit at the bar you can watch them make the food! They even encourage questions and will talk about what they’re doing!
Quite the experience for us. I highly recommend that if you’re in Kailua you stop by! :D

Easily my favorite breakfast place!
The mimosas and the French brew beer press are a must. They have amazing pancakes/​waffles or I really like their eggs and bacon breakfast pizza.
The staff here is so friendly and amazing. The guy who runs the place is great and I have never walked in here and not had Jess for a waitress. She’s awesome. Such a friendly and delicious place.

I was really excited to try Prima after reading the recent New York Times article.
I hadn’t been there since the new Chef and the review was so promising.
I was disappointed in the burnt factor… The pizza crust was black. I noticed all the other tables had similar crust colors, so I expect this is the norm.
I had the pork belly pizza. It was way too fatty and the cheese was very clumpy. I had a hard time eating it because I would take a bite and the whole piece came apart.
I also had the Cesar salad with jidori chicken. It was very good.
The service was great and the atmosphere is fun and inviting.

Great pizza place to go to, the meatball pizza is very tasty and I’ll definitely remember this place when I’m back in Hawaii!

First time here… I know, I know. What took me some long? Truth? Our fave Kaneohe pizza placed was closed. (Really wanted pizza, so Prima, here we come!)
Got here early so nearly had our choice of tables. Chose the one in the back with a nice view of the small interior, yet facing the windows. After looking at some of the richer offerings (e.g. pork belly pizza), hubby and I chose something simple… the Margarita. It was the perfect choice! Very flavorful sauce, in just the right amount, complimented the oozy mozzarella cheese and fresh basil, slightly crisp from the big oven. Yum!
What made it even better? A lovely 2009 Red River Winery vino from R.J. Field next door. Note: there was no corkage fee tonight since they do not currently have a liquor license. When they get it back in the next couple of weeks (according to our waiter) be prepared for a rather hefty, $ 15/​a bottle corkage fee. Instead, I recommend the House Red by Oeno Winemakers in Kailua. Great use of a local business!
Too bad we had to wait a while for our pizza. A couple who came in after us got their food before we did, but the very attentive waiter (to his credit) quickly noticed my slight displeasure and assured me that «Yours will be right out.» True to his word, less than three minutes later we were making those contented little snuffling noises one does when eating exactly what you want!
Thanks for a great first time experience, Prima! We’ll definitely be back:)

I love this place. Amazing pizzas, garlic bread is made from the amazing pizza dough… all made in a wood burning 1500 degree pizza oven. Best was at the end, fritters with lilikoi butter and a berry reduction of some kind with lemon basil sorbet. All of it was perfect.

Is this place under new management or something?
Then again, my first experience with Prima was the lackluster Restaurant Week menu a couple of years ago. Flash forward a year and I’m still trying to figure out what the hype is with this place.
The lone shining star at Prima is the wonderful Maitake Mushroom appetizer. I love mushroom stem’s firm yet buttery texture which is reminiscent of steak, and the earthy and hearty flavor melds perfectly with the creamy rich cauliflower purée. All together I think it’s a lovely dish of great flavors and textures.
On the other hand, the pizzas were disappointing. The funghi pizza I received looked absolutely nothing like the rest of the beautiful mushroom pizzas in the Unilocal pictures; my pizza was sparse with just a handful of mushrooms and toppings compared to the loaded funghi fantasy in the other pictures. On top of that, the pizza was really bland!
At least the spicy meatball pizza looked like the pizzas pictured on Unilocal,but like the funghi pizza, the spicy meatball was really bland.
We’ve also tried adding an egg to the prosciutto pizza in hopes of replicating the old V Lounge Prima pizza, but it didn’t even come close.
Thank goodness for the hot sauce, which made the pizzas tolerable. I had a slice of each and that was enough for me, since eating another slice wasn’t worth the disappointment or the calories.
Service at Prima is undoubtedly laid back and chill Kailua service: slow, casual, and very friendly.

I really miss the Prima Pizza back when they had the location on Kona Street… so I came here hoping to have just that. It’s interesting… they no longer call it the Prima Pizza. Instead it’s called Kona Street. LoL. Get it?
Anyways, although Kona Street is similar to the Prima Pizza, it wasn’t the same. I really miss that pizza. It’s ok though because I also got the penne pasta with mushrooms and oh my, so delicious. I loved it!
Service was good and I enjoyed my time.
They have beer and wine but no hard liquor.

not a very Prima experience…
I don’t venture across the H-​3 that much. In fact it’s very rare I cross that mountainous terrain known as the Ko’olaus. And so when a friend had an errand to run in Kaneohe, we decided to have lunch at Prima since we were in the neighborhood so to speak.
LOCATION: Situated in a shopping complex where its tenant neighbors are Foodland and Baskin Robbins among others. Thankfully parking was plentiful on the weekend we visited.
SETTING/​AMBIANCE: Strangely enough my friend and I weren’t sure if they were even open (around noon on a Saturday). There wasn’t a soul in the restaurant though the doors were literally wide open. It seems on that particular day the A/​C may not have been at full strength as it didn’t seem too warm, yet not that cold within the restaurant. The space is industrial like yet simply adorned with wooden tables, with the prep area and brick oven against the wall. Counter seating also available.
FOOD: Menu is plain and simple, mostly pizza and salads. We chose to share the Funghi and Five-​P (sans the fennel seeds) pizzas between the two of us. Interestingly enough, I favored the Five-​P, while the Funghi was more to my friend’s liking. The hint of spice from the piquillo pepper was my favorite component of the Five-​P, though I did think the tomato sauce was a bit too generous. We both didn’t care for the crust on either pizza that much. It seemed a bit soggy/​watered down for some reason. Additional toppings on the pizzas are an option as well.
SERVICE: It was ok. The girl was friendly enough and checked on us in a timely manner throughout the meal. I appreciated that she took the time to actually/​literally show us a pan so we could get an idea of the diameter of the pizza.
NOTE: As I’ve already mentioned, the AC wasn’t working well on the day we visited. It was unfortunate, as well as disappointing, since a good amount of time was spent shooing/​waving the flies away. I suppose flies get hungry too in some way, but please stay away from my pizza.
BOTTOM LINE: A somewhat decent lunch on the Windward side. Unsure about a return or second visit.