Kauai - Lihue

Island of Kauai

Where to Eat

JJ’s Broiler, Anchor Cove, 808-246-4422, 888-246- 4422. Open 11 am-10 pm. Serving lunch and dinner daily. Reservations are recommended for dinner, especially if you want to sit outside. JJ’s Broiler is well known for its fantastic location overlooking Kalapaki Beach and for the food. They serve fresh fish, steak, sandwiches and pasta. The food is good and reasonably priced, and you can’t beat the location. Lunch $14-$35, dinner $35-$50.

Aroma’s, Harbor Mall second floor, 808-245-9192. Hours are Tuesday to Friday from 7 am to 9:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 8 am to 9:30 pm. Breakfast is served from 7 to 11 am, lunch 11:30 to 4:30 and dinner from 5:30 to closing. Reservations are recommended for lunch and dinner. There’s a lot going on at this lively spot. The menu is an eclectic mix of influences, from Italian to Pacific Rim. It includes steaks, ossobucco and a vegetarian tofu stir fry, which is excellent. Breakfast under $15, lunch $15-$35, dinner $35-$50.

Café Portofino, Kaua`i Beach Marriott Resort & Beach Club, 808-245-2121. Open for dinner nightly 5-9 pm. If you’re looking for a true Italian experience, come to Café Portofino. The menu is strictly Northern Italian
and the restaurant sits above Kalapaki Beach, so you have delightful views of the ocean. The atmosphere is comfortable and romantic. On the menu, you can get eggplant parmesan, a wide variety of pastas, osso bucco, chicken or steak. $35-$50.

Dani’s Restaurant, 4201 Rice Street, Lihu`e, 808-245-4991. Open Monday-Friday 5 am-1:30 pm, Saturday 5 am-1 pm. This is a place to go for breakfast and a cheap, local lunch. They serve mostly standard breakfast fare in the morning and plate lunches in the afternoon. The food quality isn’t bad, considering the prices. You can get Kalua pig, laulau, teriyaki chicken or steak, beef stew or tripe stew. Under $15.

Deli & Bread Connection, Kukui Grove Center, 808-245-7115. Hours are Monday-Thursday 9:30 am to 7 pm, Friday 9:30 am to 9 pm, Saturday 9:30 am to 7 pm, Sunday 10 am to 6 pm. There’s a reason the Deli & Bread Connection is always packed at lunch. They serve healthy and appetizing soups, sandwiches and baked goods. They serve a delicious meatloaf on occasion. It’s not always available, but do try it if available.
Under $15.

Duke’s Kaua`i, Marriott Resort & Beach Club, 808-246-9599. Open daily 11:30 am-midnight. Duke’s is a tribute to surfing’s first icon, Duke Kahanamoku. It’s a popular place with locals and tourists alike. Situated
on Kalapaki Beach, it’s hard not to come here and have a good time. The
food is enjoyable, the atmosphere is nice, and the crowd tends to be lively. Duke’s has live Hawaiian entertainment nightly. $15-$35.

Gaylord’s Restaurant, at Kilohana, 3-2087 Kaumuali`i Highway, 808-245-9593, www.gaylordskauai.com. Open for breakfast 7:45-10 am, lunch 11 am-2 pm, dinner 5:30-9 pm. The restaurant is in a pleasant, open atmosphere that evokes the old plantation days The breakfast buffet isn’t all that exciting, with standard fare, such as eggs, fruit, sweet rolls, and Portuguese sausage. Sunday brunch is also served from 8 am to 2:30 pm. The menu includes made-to-order eggs, pancakes, salad, and kalua pork hash. It’s reasonably priced. For lunch and dinner, the food is fine, though the service is often less than ideal. Breakfast under $15, lunch $15-$35, dinner $35-$50, Sunday brunch $15-$35.

Hamura’s Saimin Stand, 2956 Kress Street, Lihu`e, 808-245-3271 Open Monday-Thursday from 10 am-11 pm; Friday and Saturday from 10 am- midnight; Sunday from 10 am-9 pm. Hamura’s is a local legend. The place looks like a hole in the wall, the menu is basic, and the saimin is fabulous. You’ve never had saimin until you’ve been to Hamura’s. Under $15.

Hanama`ulu Restaurant Tea House & Ara’s Sushi Bar, 3-4291 Kuhio Highway, Hanama`ulu, 808-245-2511. A family-owned restaurant for more than 60 years, this is a favorite with locals. It’s great if you’re looking for something off the beaten path. The interior is something else: authentic Japanese teahouses, stone paths, fish ponds are all here. Chinese and Japanese food is served. The service is fantastic and the food is full of flavor. Lunch $15-$35, dinner $35-$50.

Colenti’s, Kukui Grove Shopping Center, 808-246-4940. The atmosphere here is that of a typical pizza joint, with cheap table booths and plastic benches. All that’s missing is the red checkered tablecloth. The food is excellent. If you want to get a slice of pizza, this is the place to go. It’s about as good as anything I’ve had. Their meatball parmesan sandwich is also something special. The service is friendly, and the food is reasonably priced. Under $15-$35.

Ki`ibo Restaurant, 2991 Umi Street, 808-245-2650. Open Monday-Saturday for lunch 11 am-1:30 pm; dinner 5:30-9 pm. Ki`ibo features cuisine such as shrimp or vegetable tempura, a variety of sushi, fresh sashimi, beef, chicken or pork teriyaki. You can also pick up a lunch bento (Japanese boxed lunch) for $5.25, which is cheap and easy. The service is fast and courteous, the food is inexpensive and good. Agreat value overall! Under $15.

La Bamba Mexican Restaurant, Kukui Grove Shopping Center, Lihu`e, 808-245-5972. Open daily 11 am-9 pm. Substantial portions of all the hearty standards ensure that no one goes hungry, and you’d be hard-pressed to finish off a plate of chiles rellenos or aromatic fajitas in one sitting. It’s even more trying given that all entrées come with sides of beans and rice. Still, no one complains since the abundance of food only makes the affordable prices that much better. Lunch under $15, dinner $15-$35.

Ma’s Family Restaurant, 4277 Halenani Street, Lihu`e, 808-245-3142. Open from 5 am to 1 pm, Monday through Friday, and from 5 am on Saturday and Sunday. This family restaurant has been at it for over 40 years and is a Kaua`i institution. They have a reputation for their large, tasty and
inexpensive breakfasts and lunches. Ma’s is great for plate lunches. Under $15. Cash only.

Oki Diner, 4491 Rice Street, Lihu`e, 808-245-5899. Open daily 6 am-3 am. Their pancakes are good, but not as good at at Tip Top Café.The service is OK at times, at other times not acceptable. The plate lunches are worth coming here for. The hours obviously work well if you’re a night owl.

Rob’s Good Time Grill, Rice Shopping Center, Lihu`e, 808-821-2205. Open for lunch and dinner 11 am-9 pm; Happy Hour 2-7 pm. This is a fun sportsbar. The food isn’t bad and the drinks are plentiful. They offer a typical bar menu: burgers, sandwiches and pupus. Overall, it’s an enjoyable place that won’t break your budget. Under $15-$35.

Naupaka Terrace Steakhouse, Hilton Kaua`i Beach Resort, 808-245-1955. Open for dinner 6:30- 9:30 pm. Naupaka Terrace is on the beach. They feature steak and seafood. The real reason to come here is for the prime rib and crab buffet. The atmosphere is pleasant, with ocean and pool views. The service could improve but, other than that, Naupaka Terrace makes for a pleasant dining experience.

Tip Top Café & Bakery, 3173 Akahi St, Lihu`e, 808-245-2333. There is one reason to come here and one reason alone: banana macadamia nut pancakes. Need I say more? Tip Top Café has been known for years as a great place for pancakes. It’s been around since 1916, so they’ve had some time to perfect that recipe. For lunch, typical local fare is featured on the menu and they are well known for oxtail soup.

Genki Sushi, Kukui Grove Shopping Center, 808-632-2450. Hours are Sunday-Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10:30 am to 10 pm. At Genki Sushi, it’s not about the sushi. It’s more about the
novelty of having your sushi served on a conveyor belt. Seriously, the sushi goes round and round until someone takes it. It’s the little things in life that are amusing. The sushi is surprisingly good and is reasonably priced. Under $15.

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