Kauai restaurants offer no shortage of variety. On the Garden Isle where the best hiking trails are not more than 2 hours away from exciting snorkeling trips, it is common to drive from Hanalei accommodations to restaurants in Kapaa.
Eating out in Kauai is more expensive than at Oahu restaurants for example, because food has to be transported to the outer islands.
However, on Kauai, you can run the gamut from high-end dining at the resorts to local hangouts where the Hawaiian lunch-plate is the "dish du jour".
Kid-friendly Restaurants
There are several Kauai restaurants which welcome kids and make them feel thoroughly at home.
On the way back from North Shore beaches is local institution Duane’s Ono Char-Burger which is really a red-and-white stand on the road. Starving kids will be more than happy to choose from 15 types of burgers plus an assortment of sandwiches, fried fish, shrimp and fries.
Try the Juicy Boy burger which combines cheese, pineapple and teriyaki sauce for a totally unexpected flavors or the Special which is lavishly served with grilled onions, two types of cheese and sprouts. You can easily feed a family of four for less than US$20 with enough change left over for an ice-cream shake made with marionberries.
Island Fresh Seafood
Relying heavily on super fresh island fish and locally grown vegetables, the Hukilau Lanai restaurant offers quality food that is competently and creatively prepared.
The fish—grilled, steamed or sautéed and served with succulent sauces—shines here. Other sound choices are the savory meat loaf and prime rib. Chicken and a few pasta dishes round out the menu. The ahi nachos appetizer is not to be missed, nor is the warm chocolate dessert soufflé.
The spacious dining room looks out to the ocean, and it's lovely to eat at the outdoor tables when the weather is nice. Overall, one of the best choices on the East Side.
This is a favorite Kauai restaurant destination.
The food is always exceptional, the helpful staff is always friendly, and the view is lovely. Ask for a lanai table and feel the warm Kauai air. This is an easy place to spend a lovely evening. They have a large selection of fine wines at reasonable prices and, regardless of your choice of favorites, they will have something you will thoroughly enjoy.
Don't forget their great desserts! When we are away from Kauai, Hukilau Lanai will be one of the beautiful memories of the island.
Eat and be thoroughly satisfied with the robust fish tacos at the Kilauea Fish Market. Made with the fresh daily catch, the tacos are delicious and something to write home about.
At this diner cum fish market, you can select the just-caught fish from a display case and watch it cook.
A popular stop on the way to or from the famous Kilauea Lighthouse, it is housed in a 100-year old pineapple plantation building.
The menu, which has vegetarian and other meat dishes, is a healthier twist on traditional Hawaiian food and the owners cook with olive oil, local produce, hormone-free beef, all of which are served with brown rice.
High-end Splurge
When you are geared for a splurge, the popular names among high-end Kauai restaurants include the award-winning Beach House in Poipu and Donderos at the Grand Hyatt Kauai.
Both offer drop-dead views and elegant dining in intimate surroundings indoors or on the patio under the stars.
For romance and atmosphere, it is hard to top Tidepools, also part of the Grand Hyatt. Dine in Polynesian-thatched hales surrounding a tiki-torch lit lagoon. A 2009 Zagat's Guide pick, this is an experience for all the senses.
A dreamy ambiance is backed by an outstanding contemporary Hawaiian fusion cuisine. Fresh fish is the specialty. It comes prepared in any number of ways but the signature dish is mahi mahi crusted with banana-macadamia nuts, served with a lilikoi butter sauce with a mango-cucumber relish adding another layer of flavor.
