The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook - Restaurant Reviews

Wahooo Seafood Grill & Bar
4-733 Kuhio Hwy. • 822-7833
A strongly seafood-oriented menu with some steak and pasta, as well. Atmosphere is subdued--nice without too much hype--and the service is responsive. The food is flavorful, so it's a good place to go to fill that yearning for some seafood. We wish that they'd spend a bit less energy on the flair and presentation in favor of larger fish cuts. $20-$50 for dinner. Avoid the strawberry bread pudding for dessert. In Kapa'a on Kuhio Highway just south of Foodland.

Lighthouse Bistro
2484 Keneke St. • 828-0480
First of all, you can't see the Kilauea Lighthouse from here. (Sorry to burst your bubble.) Although dinner is very overpriced ($34 for a steak, and it's served a la carte!), lunch is our favorite, and it works fairly well with items such as fish tacos, fish burritos and burgers. Dinner is mainly fish, shrimp, chicken and pork. Pretty good food at lunch, but way too high for dinner. $10-$16 for lunch, $20-$40 for dinner. In Kilauea in Kong Lung Center off Kilauea Road.

Bull Shed
4-796 Kuhio Hwy. • 822-3791
Dinner only, quite popular with both locals and tourists, known for hearty beef and seafood and moderate portions. The food might be good, but they really rely on their location to keep you happy. They seem to strive for mediocrity and usually succeed. The window seats are particularly close to the water (we've been there when the waves actually splashed against the glass), but arrive 10-15 minutes before they open (they start serving dinner at 5:30 p.m.) to get one. All entrees come with a choice of salad or...salad. Sorry, no soup. (With a dependably pathetic salad bar, too.) The service can be slow and decidedly unenthusiastic. And if I may rant, you only get rice with entrees. If you pay extra and get a baked potato, they take the rice away. Hey, I'm paying for it. Leave it alone! (Whew, I feel better already.) $15-$30. Limited desserts such as mud pie and a pretty good and reasonably priced wine list. In Kapa'a on the ocean side of highway across from Kaua'i Village. Reservations only for six or more.

Red Hot Mama's
5-6607 Kuhio Hwy. • 826-7266
Literally a hole-in-the-wall take-out window past the 6 mile marker before the end of the road on Hwy 560 next to the Last Chance Store in Ha'ena. Simple, hearty Mexican food, mostly burritos and tacos with some salads and tuna wraps. Their "small kine" burrito is pretty good-sized for $7, and the "fat mama" will do most bigger eaters for $9. The hot sauce is fairly spicy and tasty. Lunch is $7-$12, and they close promptly at 5 p.m. Buy your drinks next door and take it all to the beach. Cash only.

Tahiti Nui
5-5134 Kuhio Hwy. • 826-6277
A legendary local establishment whose reputation is far grander than the present reality. Now it's basically a watering hole with overpriced food, spotty service and a dark atmosphere. (Pretty good mai tais, though.) People watching is the main reason to come here. A rainbow of colorful local characters keeps it interesting. Foodwise, it's burgers and uninspiring pizza. $10-$20.

Joe's on the Green
2545 Kiahuna Pl. • 742-9696
On the Kiahuna Golf Course next to the driving range, the open-air feel and views of mountains give it a pretty and relaxing atmosphere. Breakfast is your best bet. Lunch is sandwiches (love the Bruddah Reuben and the Marta's Melt), salads and fish and chips. Service is friendly. $8-$15 for breakfast and lunch. From Po'ipu Road take the road into Po'ipu Shopping Village, drive past it into Kiahuna Golf Course.

Plantation Garden
2253 Poipu Rd. • 742-2121
A very relaxing tropical cactus garden setting with mostly outdoor tables (which are preferred). Dinner is a fairly small selection of steak and seafood, but flavors are well-conceived. The kalua pork lettuce wrap is a tasty appetizer if you can get past the inherent saltiness. The seafood lau lau is great if a bit generous with the scallops at the expense of the fresh fish. They don't do as well with steaks. They seem to lean toward slightly undercooking, so order with this in mind. Their bartending skills really stand out, and they have an amazingly refreshing cucumber mojito. $25-$40 for dinner. At the Kiahuna Plantation in Po'ipu. Reservations recommended.

Hanapepe Cafe
3830 Hanapepe Rd. • 335-5011
They classify themselves gourmet vegetarian Italian. Since they only do dinner once a week (Fridays--by reservation only), consider it a lunch-only place. Soups, lots of salads, sandwiches and burgers. That description makes the food sound less interesting than it really is. Actually, it's pretty good. They also have some tasty and creative entrees such as lasagna. $7- $14 for lunch. Open Monday through Friday. In Hanapepe town.

Toi's Thai Kitchen
4469 Waialo Rd. • 335-3111
Amazingly good Thai food. Prices are probably too high, but Toi's food is excellent. Try it with cold Thai tea. Their curries are quite memorable and come with a green papaya salad and a drink. Their signature dish is Toi's Temptation. On mauka side of highway in 'Ele'ele Shopping Center, just before Hanapepe. $13-$28 for lunch and dinner. Closed Sunday and Monday.