Kauai Restaurant Reviews

Reviewer: Foodnut.com Kauai, HI

Kauai Restaurant Reviews from our visit to the Garden isle in May 2022

Lots of local food trucks and Hawaiian favorites. We did not dine in once! None of these requires reservations.

Checkout reviews of the other Hawaiian Islands

• Maui Restaurant Reviews
• Oahu Restaurant Reviews

Chicken in a Barrel, Hanalei

Chicken in a Barrel is a BBQ restaurant in the touristy section of Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii. They also have several other locations on Kauai as well as Lake Tahoe, California.
The focus is on BBQ with a fairly specialized menu.

During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.

Safety Pluses – Online menu, phone ordering, outdoor dining.

Food Picks:
Sampler Plate ($19.65) Local Favorite! A little taste of: chicken, beef, pork, & a baby back rib is a lot of food, but gives you the ability to try them all.
The chicken was the weakest, but still reasonable. Good beef and pork. Slightly sweet BBQ Sauce. 8.5/10

Just OK:
None

Skip:
None

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

5-5190 Kuhio Hwy
Hanalei, HI 96714
(808) 826-1999

Kauai Menu

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The Fish Express, Lihue, Hawaii

This restaurant has seafood all over its name. They do have a couple other dishes for those want something else. Fish Express is a great place to go right after a flight. It is very close to the LIH airport, across from Walmart. No indoor or outdoor seating though.

During the Covid 19 Pandemic in 2022, we visited them for take out.
We were trying to support local restaurants, so they can survive.

Safety Pluses – Online menu, phone ordering.

Food Picks:
Hawaiian Plate ($14.95) Oven Baked Kalua Pork served with Lomi salmon, chicken long rice. This dish had a ton of tender pork along with an even better chicken long rice. 9/10

Poke Bowl ($10) is sold by the pound and can be customized with toppings. Very well done. 8.5/10

Just OK:
None

Skip:
None

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

3-3343 Kuhio Hwy Ste 7
Lihue, HI 96766
(808) 245-9918

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Eat Healthy Kauai – RUSSELL’S

Russells Eat healthy Kauai is a plant-based restaurant, perfect for vegans and vegetarians. It’s located just north of the airport. It will go well with regular folks too.

Covid pluses – outdoor patio

Service was decent, food comes fast. This is a great spot to go if you eat a plant-based diet. I must visit on Kauai.

Food Picks:
Loaded açai bowl ($16) was a good size bowl topped with granola, bananas, cocoa nibs, and more. 8.5/10

Tofu scramble ($16) is a stir fry tofu dish filled with vegetables along with tender tofu. Done very well. 9/10

Thai style tofu peanut sauce wrap ($18) also hit the mark, very pristine and light ingredients. Nice side salad. 8.5/10

Golden goddess smoothie ($11) is filled with great ingredients, but still manages to make it tasty and not too veggie. 8.5/10

Just OK:
None

Skip:
None

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Very Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

Eat Healthy Kauai – RUSSELL’S
4-369 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaʻa, HI 96746
808-822-7990
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Wailua Shave Ice – Ube

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Mark’s place
Mark‘s place is a traditional plate lunch Hawaiian restaurant, only open for takeout. This restaurant is located in the industrial Park area, but gets a lot of business.

You can call ahead to order.

Food Picks:
Hamburger steak ($12.29) for a mini plate version on just rice. Nicely done meat and gravy, perfect combination. 9.5/10

Loco Moco ($15.99) Was a huge portion, lots of meat, a beautifully runny egg. Noodles on the side along with a scoop of brown rice. 9/10

Teriyaki chicken ($15.29) had four strips of tendered chicken on top of a bed of noodles. A scoop of rice and salad are on the side. Great value. 9/10

Spam musubi ($3.19)was one of the better versions that we had on the island. They use a bit of furikake on top of the spam. 8/10

Strawberry zero mochi ($) is well done, tender and fruity. They messed up the first batch we got. 7.5/10

Just OK:
None

Skip:
None

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

1610 Haleukana St
Lihue, HI 96766
(808) 245-2522

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Kiawe Roots, Kawai, Kauai, Hawaii

Kiawe Roots is a Modern Hawaiian Asian fusion restaurant in Hawaii. Laid-back eatery serving a hybrid of local Hawaiian & Texas mesquite-smoked meats, salads & sides. We were passing by on the way back from Waimea canyon, and stopped for some takeout. This restaurant has 4.5 stars on Yelp. With our takeout success, we can’t wait to eat at the location.

Convert 19 positives – online ordering.
No outside dining.

Herb Shrimp ($19) black tiger shrimp marinated in fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil. grilled to perfection. Was very well done, seasoned perfectly and cooked to perfection. We added some extra focaccia bread. 9/10

Kalbi ($22)
Korean style marinated short rib, grilled to perfection.
choice of sauce OR tinono style. Had a good amount of pre-slice thin car be with a slight sweet sauce. Very nice grilled vegetables. 9/10

Kiawe Roots
2-3687 Kaumualii Hwy
Lawai, HI 96765
(808) 855-5055
https://www.eatatkiawe.com

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Cafe Tumeric, Hanalei, Kauai, Hawaii

Cafe Tumeric is an Indian food truck in Hanalei, Kauai Food Truck Park. They stay open late, so they’re able to sweep up a lot of business. Their menu is pretty concise and features popular Indian dishes with several being vegetarian and gluten-free.

Be sure to get some Taro donuts next door if the place is open.

Food Picks:
Coconut Shrimp Curry ($18) has just a slight kick, with some very well done coconut curry and tender shrimp. 9/10

Coconut Vegetable Curry ($16) is the analog for vegetarians. This dish also hits the spot with his tangy curry. 9/10

Naan with Hummus ($10) is an egg-based flatbread with some amazing hummus. 8.5/10

Just OK:
None

Skip:
None

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

Cafe Tumeric
5-5100 Kuhio Hwy
Hanalei, HI 96714
(808) 634-3251

https://www.facebook.com/%E0%A5%90-Cafe-Turmeric-%E0%A5%90-1115586018471082/

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Kilauea Market + Cafe, Kilauea, Kauai, Hawaii

Kilauea Market + Cafe is a high end grocery store with a cafe in it. We got some quick takeout for dinner on our visit. No online ordering, they didn’t answer their phones.
The only dish we got was very high quality, making other offerings probably worth a visit.
They have interior seating and outside you can find spots to dine too.

Food Picks:

KĪLAUEA MOCO ($15.99) Hawaii Meats Beef Patty, Local Style Fried Rice, Caramelized Sweet Onion Gravy, Over Easy Farm Egg was definitely a cut above regular plate lunch spots. Really high quality beef cooked to a medium rare on a bed of char siu fried rice. About as decadent as it comes. 9.5/10

Just OK:
None

Skip:
None

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

Kilauea Market + Cafe
2555 Ala Namahana Pkwy B1
Kilauea, HI 96754

808-828-1282

https://www.kilaueamarket.com

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Sushigirl Kauai, Kilauea, Kauai, Hawaii

Sushigirl Kauai is a sushi to go spot that makes their items to order. It is located in the upscale Kilauea area of Kauai. They have outdoor tables for your dining pleasure. Wait times can be long, so call in an order early.

This is a great spot for sushi fan seeking an informal lunch or dinner.

Food Picks:
ACTION BOWL ($13) cubed raw ahi (sometimes ono, too!), cucumber, onion, sea asparagus, furikake, sesame oil, Hawaiian sea salt, ponzu. 9/10

SUSHI GARDEN ($14) local avocado, cucumber, corn, black beans, onion, cabbage, carrot, sea asparagus, Kailani salad greens, yum yum sauce (contains egg, please ask about our vegan sauce options). 8.5/10

MUSUBI ($7) ahi, avocado, cucumber, sushi rice, wrapped in nori and with smoked salmon 9/10

Just OK:
None

Skip:
None

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

2482 Keneke St The Kong Lung Center
Kilauea, HI 96754
(808) 320-8646

https://www.sushigirlkauai.com

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Holey Grail Donuts, Hanalei, Kauai

Holey Grail makes freshly made taro donuts. We have been to their location in Honolulu and noticed they have one in Culver City, CA. The flavors vary on each day but slant towards more interesting ones. Chocolate and Vanilla are also on the menu. Great place for vegans. Some gluten free folks can also tolerate these.

The donuts take about 5 minutes and are hot and fresh. Smaller than normal donuts and a little softer.

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

Holey Grail Donuts
5-5100 Kuhio Hwy
Hanalei, HI 96714
808-212-7147

https://www.holeygraildonuts.com/

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Smiley’s Local Grinds

Smiley’s Local Grinds is a traditional plate lunch Hawaiian restaurant in a strip mall behind Ace hardware, only open for takeout. This restaurant is located in a working class area but gets lots of business. They have changing specials each day. You can call ahead to order. We’ll be back to try more.

Food Picks:

Kalua Pig ($13) for a regular plate version with chicken long rice and lomi salmon. Nicely done meat and silky long rice, perfect combination. 9/10

Just OK:
None

Skip:
None

Overall – Very Good
Food – Very Good
Decor – Good
Service – Very Good
Value – Good

Would we come back – Yes

4100 Rice St
Lihue, HI 96766
808-245-4772

https://www.smileyslocalgrinds.com/

Restaurant Map: