Kauai Restaurants

Poipu Restaurants:

• The Beach House Restaurant: (808) 742-1424 Right next door to Kuhio Shores!
  Serving Pacific Rim cuisine and in our opinion, the best restaurant in the Poipu area. If you enjoy fine dining with a wonderful, romantic atmosphere, the Beach House is not to be missed. It is located on Kolopa point right on the ocean. As you sit and enjoy an excellent dinner, you hear the sounds of the waves, feel the fresh ocean air, and if dining at sunset, have a beautiful view of the setting sun. Seating for sunset begins at 5:30 and the kitchen opens at 6:00. Make your reservations well in advance for this is a busy place (call before leaving the mainland). If you are planning on a sunset dinner, we suggest arriving about 5:15 because, although you have reservations, seating for sunset is on a first come first served basis. Thus, the best tables for viewing go fast. For those who enjoy wine, you can take your own bottle, as long as the bottle is not on the restaurant wine list. The corking fee is $15. They are not very sophisticated about wine. If they happen to have the same wine but a different vintage, they will tell you not to bring yours. However, if you talk to them about the differences in vintages, they usually will allow you to take your bottle.
  
  
• Casa di Amici: (808) 742-1555 This restaurant is located on Nalo Road past Brennecke's heading toward the Hyatt.
  Enjoy grand piano music and great food at this Poipu restaurant. Small and intimate, the food is delightful and portions are large. When you call for reservations, you may want to ask for a table on the lanai (only tables for 2). Very nice!! They have a good, reasonably priced wine list, but if you want to take your own wine, the corking fee is $10.
  
  
• Roy's: (808) 742-5000 Poipu Shopping Village.
  Roy's is Euro/Asian cuisine at its best. Some say this is the best food on Poipu; although, we happen to prefer both the Beach House Restaurant and Casa di Amici's over this one. Reservations recommended if you don't want to wait. Roy's does not allow you to take your own bottle of wine. If you are into wines, this is disappointing, especially considering the quality of their wine list.
  
  

Poipu Restaurants:

• Brennecke's Beach Broiler: (808) 742-7588 We have had enjoyable meals at Brennekee's. They are not cheap, but they are less expensive than the fine dining restaurants. To save a little cash, try their early dinner specials. The views of Poipu Beach are excellent. Not fine dining but worth the trip.
  
  
• Koloa Fish Market: (808)742-6799 Take out only. Located in Old Koloa Town across from the Post Office.
  We highly recommend this place for their fresh fish (prepare your own quiet meal at the home), sashimi, California rolls, pupus (appetizers), plate lunches, and much more. You find mostly locals ordering at this take out market. Hours are from10am to 6pm, Mon-Fri. 10am to 5pm, Sat. If you are out and about but want something for the evening, call them and they will hold your order for you. This is especially important if you want the sashimi or California rolls. These are prepared fresh daily, and they sell fast.
  
  
• Keoki's Paradise: (808) 742-7534 Keoki's Paradise in Poipu Village Shopping Village.
  This place has tropical decor with waterfalls and greenery. The main dining room is good, but the more informal seafood and taco bar is outstanding in both quality and quantity. Bargains are available like fish tacos for under $5.00. If you take along a coupon (usually on the counter at the nearby Whalers store), they will give you a large free ice cream "mud pie" dessert, which itself has a $4.00 value. Enjoy local live entertainment in the lounge Thursday and Friday evening, and Sunday afternoon.
  
  
• Lappert's Ice Cream: (808) 742-1272 Old Koloa Town.
  They serve super-premium ice-creams, gourmet Hawaiian coffees and delicious homemade pastries. Hours: Mon-Sun 6am to 10pm.
  
  
• Pattaya Asian Cafe - Poipu Shopping Village.
  A Thai restaurant with excellent and imaginative curries, spicy or mild, salads; Thai iced tea, and a variety of other Eastern-inspired dishes is very good!
  
  
• TomKats Grill (808) 742-8887 Old Koloa Town.
  This might be an okay place to grab a hamburger, but if you're tempted to buy a New York Stake with mushrooms like I was, you're in for a disappointment no matter how hungry you are. Ambiance is a bunch of stray cats lying around. What was I thinking? ... there are several good restaurants within a 5 minute drive in Poipu.
  
  
• Pizzetta (808) 742-8881 Old Koloa Town.
  If you're strolling around the shops in Koloa, this is an okay place for lunch. Mostly pizza and pasta with an outdoor sports bar feel but you can get a chicken Ceasar salad too.
  
  

Kalaheo Restaurants:

Directions: Turn right as you leave the condo parking lot and drive 0.6 miles to the stop sign at Poipu road. Turn left and drive 1.5 miles to the stop sign (first one) in Koloa. Turn left on highway 530 and drive 3.6 miles to the stop sign (first one) at highway 50. Turn left and follow highway 50 for 1.2 mi. to the Brick Oven Pizza or 1.4 miles to Camp House Grill. The trip takes about 20 minutes.

• Brick Oven Pizza: (808) 332-8561 Closed Mondays. On the right as you enter Kalaheo (1.2 miles from highway 530:50 intersection).
  What a spot! They have outstanding pizza. Stop in after a day on the west side or head over any time, lunch or dinner. We never miss eating here. The twenty minute drive is worth it.
  
  
• Camp House Grill: (808) 332-9755 On right 1.4 miles from the highway 530:50 intersection.
  They serve up great hamburgers and have the best onion rings on the island. Save room for pie, they the best on the island. You might even want to take a pie home for enjoyment during your stay.
  
  

Kapaa Restaurants:

• Kauai Pasta - Italian Café & Take Out (808) 822-7447 Located at 4-939B Kuhio Hwy.
  Don't let this unassuming location fool you, this restaurant is exceptional. Their grand opening was in August and the place is already bustling with happy patrons. The service is delightful and prices affordable. We enjoyed Lasagna, Italian Herb Grilled Shrimp, and Chicken Parmesan. Their homemade pasta is superb with Pesto and Italian sausage & mushroom sauces. I couldn't stop eating the homemade garlic bread! Don't leave without trying their Tiramisu Cheesecake or their Chocolate Créme Brule desert; both are light and delicious. From appetizer to desert this place does everything right. It's going to be hard to find an available table so it's a good thing they offer take-out. A complete take-out pasta dinner for 4 with salad and garlic bread is only $29.95
  
  
• The Olympic Cafe Restaurant & Bar: (808) 822-5828 Located at 1354 Kuhio Hwy.
  This restaurant is upstairs directly across the street from the ABC store. From tables along the open front of this restaurant, you can keep an eye on the procession of cars and people passing along the street directly below. The atmosphere is fun, the help is friendly, and the prices are reasonable. Once famous only for breakfast and lunch, this restaurant now has a full dinner menu with something for everyone. Recommended items are Macadamia-Papaya Fresh Fish, Thai Pasta, or one of their steaks. We opted instead for Sizzling Fajitas and the Tostada Salad. We weren't disappointed, it was probably the best Mexican food we've had in Kauai. The portions were huge and appealing. Both items came with black beans, fresh avocado and salsa. The salads mixed organic greens were blended with fresh papaya, chicken cooked to perfection, and a tasty lime cilantro dressing. Desert was a very rich and delicious "Kauai Pie" made with Lappert's ice-cream. We can't wait to come back for lunch or breakfast.
  
  
• Lemongrass Grill: (808) 821-2888 Located at 4-885 Kuhio Hwy.
  This restaurant is easy to find and right next to the road with easy parking. It has several dining areas inside and a nice outdoor lanai. With nearly 50 items on the menu several items looks particularly appealing: Tango Prawn appetizers; Macadamia Salad; Guava BBQ Ribs or one of their seafood plates. Most items run from about $17 to $40. Recommended was the Seafood Combo plate with or without an 8 oz. N.Y Steak. The combo includes lobster tails, broiled mahi, shrimp scampi, scallops, sautéed mushrooms, roasted potatoes and vegetables for about $76 (for two). Too much for me, I only tried the broiled Mahi Mahi. It was delicious. They also have a variety of chocolate deserts and ice cream.
  
  
• The Hukilau Lanai: (808) 822-0600 Located behind the Coconut Marketplace in Kapa'a.
  One of our new favorites, this upscale restaurant has a beautiful garden lanai that is landscaped down to a distant beach view. The food and service is excellent. We had 4 adults and several children in our party and every meal was delightful. The children's meals included an ice-cream desert. Call ahead for reservations and if during one of Kauai's busy tourist's seasons, be prepared for ridiculous bumper to bumper slow traffic driving through Kapa'a. (This isn't as much of a problem if coming from Lihue, because the traffic speeds up again just south of the Coconut Marketplace but if coming from Princeville, this gridlock can add 40 minutes to your trip during busy hours.)
  
  
• Kauai Hula Girl: (808) 822-4422 Located in the Coconut Marketplace.
  I've walked passed this place dozens of times and finally decided to try it out. I was more than pleasantly surprised. The pan seared macadamia nut encrusted Mahi Mahi was superb. The service was friendly and fast, and the live entertainment was relaxing and quaint. Try this place.
  
  
• The Bull Shed: (808) 822-3791 Open 5:30 - 10:00 PM. Located on the beach this place is a little hard to find. The entrance is just across from Safeway and once you see the sign you've driven past it.
  If you do manage to get inside, you'll find it's a popular steakhouse with a wonderful location next to the ocean. If the windows are clean, you'll see sea turtles from your table, but I've yet to be able to see through them. The service was good, the steak was tender and the fresh Ono fish was tasty. Entrées come with a large helping of white rice and a trip to the salad bar, but the salad bar was marginal to poor (the best item being bread). I suppose that if you aren't into vegetables, and don't mind a total lack of decoration and ambiance, you'll like this place.
  
  
• Blossoming Lotus:(808)822-7678 Located in Kapa'a
  Voted "Best Restaurant on Kauai" and awarded Honolulu Advertiser's 2006 'Ilima Award, the Blossoming Lotus Restaurant also garnered a rave from Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel for "When body-conscious Hollywood types come to Kauai, they dine at Kapaa's upscale Lotus Restaurant" and their World Fusion Cuisine featuring culinary delights from thirteen regions around the world. The award winning menu will start you off with Mung Dahl, a traditional Indian curried mung bean with cilantro, Mamapacha's Pizettas which is a delicious creation of pumpkin seed-jalapeno cheese, herbed jicama relish, avocado and arugula on a zesty flax cracker, or a Mighty Aphrodite Greek Salad of organic green, mixed green olive, marinate sun dried tomatoes, feta, cucumber and capers dressed with balsamic vinegar. You'll see from their menu that there is a marvelous array of entrees to choose from including Super Salit's Spanankopita of marinated tofu, fresh organic island green and phylo drizzled with sun dried tomato sage sauce and served with a herb salad and toasted pine nuts, Green Curry of coconut lime Thai, fresh vegetables and steamed organic island green with your choice of brown rice or quino, and a "muy bueno!" Senorita Bombia's Enchilada Casserole of marinated tempe, beans, rice, chili sauce and cashew cheese layered between corn tortillas topped with a fabulous carob mole, salsa and sour cream. Decadent desserts feature a German Chocolate Cake smothered in chocolate sauce and a delicious crimson Carrot Cake. The blossoming Lotus offers Kauai's best selection of organic beer and wine from around the world. Sunday champagne Brunch, nightly live entertainment, and the Garden Isle's healthiest dining experience!
  
  

Hanamaulu Restaurants:

• Hanamaulu Restaurant and Teahouse: (808) 245-2511 Lunch Tue.-Fri. 11 am-1 pm; dinner Tue-Sat 4:30-9 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. Located inland just a little north of Lihue in Hanamaulu (Located on Hwy. 56), it looks like a nondescript Chinese restaurant
  What a super find this is. When you first walk in the front door; however, ask to be seated in a teahouse (Actually, it is BEST to call ahead and reserve one). You'll be led to the back garden where teahouse rooms flank two sides of a beautifully groomed Japanese garden complete with koi pond. Very traditional and beautiful, with shoji screens, low tables and straw floor mats. You must remove your shoes before entering a teahouse. Try either the special Japanese Feast or the Chinese Feast ($15). Either of these is a great choice on your first visit. Numerous selections of both Chinese and Japanese food are listed on the menu. Lunch is a bargain where you can get a complete plate lunch for $7, but sushi is not served at lunch (at least on our last visit in July 2001). We highly recommend this restaurant.
  
  

Hanapepe Restaurants:

• Hanapepe Cafe and Espresso Bar: (808)335-5011
  This is a nice place with excellent food that we recommend for dinner or dessert associated with a visit to the Friday night Art night in Hanapepe. There are 12 open galleries that have interesting island art and antiques. It is a relaxing way to spend a Friday evening. The art galleries close at 9:00 PM, a perfect time for coffee and dessert at the Cafe. The Cafe stops seating patrons at 9:00 PM so we always head over about 8:50.
  
  

Lihue Restaurants:

• Hamuras: (808-) 245-3271
  Island famous saimin (noodle) shop. You will be the only tourists there. With many excellent items on the menu, this place is wonderful!!
  
  
• Gaylord's Restaurant:(808)245-9593 Conveniently located in Lihue.
  Memorable by day and unforgettable by night, Gaylord's Restaurant is a "Best of Kauai" award winning culinary institution located on the historic grounds of the legendary Kilohana Estate. The menu features a delectable array of tropical island flavors with fresh caught Hawaiian island fish, locally grown Kauai Produce, and juicy beef, lamb, and venison from Australia and New Zealand. By day, Gaylord's will entice you appetite for breakfast or lunch on their courtyard lanai with stunning mountain views and gentle breezes with Won ton Wrapped Prawns, Local Catch of the Day, Grilled Chicken Wasabi Salad and a fabulous Au Ku with Crab Crust delight of Hawaiian broadbill swordfish with sesame and rock crab crust, finished with oyster butter sauce and accompanied by stir-fried vegetables. As the sun sets, Gaylord's truly shines, warmed by torchlight elegance and unmatched cuisine of House smoked Salmon, Pork Osso buco, Eggplant Manicotti with Pesto and Marinara, Filet Mignon and Broiled Lobster, and a Seafood Rhapsody of tiger prawns, Candian Scallops, fresh local fish and lobster tail garnished with fruit salad all served on one plate with red bliss basil potatoes and fresh garden vegetables. Don't miss the tempting dessert treats and selection of fine wines, liquors and Kauai coffees. Reservations are recommended. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Sunday Brunch.
  
  

Princeville Restaurants:

• Bali Hai Restaurant: -- Sorry, the Bali Hai is Closed for Renovations
  
  
• CJ's Steak & Seafood: (808) 826-6211 In the Princeville Shopping Center.
  Formerly Chuck's Steakhouse, you'd have to look close to see if anything has changed. Even the help looks the same. Still a good place for mahi mahi, or steak plus it has a good salad bar.
  
  

Hanalei Restaurants:

• Hanalei Dolphin
  A little spendy, but wonderful fresh fish and a great salad.
  
  
• Post Cards
  This is another spot we really enjoy but it can be hit or miss on the service and atmosphere. One night it's top of the world, next time it's aloof and indifferent.
  
  
• Tropical Taco
  Nice for lunch with great fish tacos.
  
  
• Bubba's
  - Great hamburgers and fun. Don't pass up a big plate of fries with your kids. Other menu items include fish burgers and a pretty good chicken Caesar salad. (Also located in Kapaa).
  
  
• The Hanalei Gourmet Cafe(808) 826-2524 Located in the Old School Building at Hanalei Center.
  We've never tried their dinners but this is a great place for specialty sandwiches, hamburgers, and fries. Inside is an island sports bar type atmosphere. Outside it's fun to eat on the two or three tables on the deck and watch the goings on of Hanalei.
  
  
• Neide's Mexican & Brazilian Foods (808) 826-1851 Located behind the Sand People store.
  We'd recommend the Brazilian dishes, especially vegetable or chicken Panqueca. This is a tasty dish wrapped in a light crepe and covered with a mild red tomato sauce.
  
  
• Bamboo Bamboo
  This place is often the only place in town that can seat you but don't do it. Avoid at all costs.
  
  
• Shave Ice Paradise - Next door to Bubba's.
  You may wait forever but it's worth it.
  
  

Waimea Restaurants:

• Shrimp Station (808)338-1242 11:00AM - 5:00PM 9652 Kaumualii Highway,Waimea, Kauai, HI 96796 Open Breakfeast and Lunch.
  If you love shrimp, you will love the Shrimp Station! For a tasty lunch, snack or a to go picnic in Waimea Canyon, be sure to stop by Shrimp Station on Highway 50 for bountiful shrimp treats. The Shrimp Station is a casual diner with good servings of shrimp prepared in several ways. The star attraction is their shrimp plates (choice of garlic shrimp, Cajun, Thai, or sweet chili garlic). One of the most popular items here is the Coconut Shrimp (touted as the best on the planet!) crusted with coconut and deep-fried until golden and crispy, with a side of fries. Other items on the menu include Shrimp Scampi, Shrimp Tacos and Shrimp Burger. Some of the dishes require you to peel the skins off, so be prepared to get your fingers dirty for a good licking! There's lots of other stuff like; Chips & Salsa, French Fries, Hot Dogs, Soda, Juice and Tea. The Shrimp Station also has a variety of Ice Cream from Haagen Dazs, Nestle and Dryers to perfectly finish your meal. www.shrimpstation.com