PaigeS

We are staying at the Grand Hyatt in Poipu April 1-8. We have a rental car and are looking for some options for good places for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I've heard that the breakfast buffet at the Hyatt is good but at $18 we won't be doing that more than once or twice. I've also heard that the Luau at the Hyatt is good as long as it's out on the beach and not held inside and that Tidepools and Donderos on the property are nice but not inexpensive. Suggestions for activities also welcome, I'm sure we will eventually tire of laying around their lagoon pool.....

ksucat

We just stayed at the Grand Hyatt and my wife asked for the FREE breakfast coupon and the great front desk guy gave them to us for the whole week..we had to pay the tip of 20% on $56..who cares! It was an excellent breakfast buffet!

Lasted till dinner and we ate at Keoki's Paradise in Poipu for the best chicken stir fry with tons of veggies for $10 that was huge and so good that we went back twice..it is owned by the same T&S group that owns Hula Grill, Kimo and Jakes..it was a fun time.

Dondero's at the Grand Hyatt has one of the best prix fixe Italian dinners that was out of this world for $50+ bucks of 4-5 courses per person.. it was incredible and surprising.

The seawater pool is sublime and this is one of the best resorts ever!
You will NOT tire of lounging at the pool..

Coconut shrimp at a place on the way to Waimea is excellent..
Hamura Saimin for some of the best cheap noodles in Lihue..behind the Goodwill..awesome!
Have drinks at Duke's..Beach House and Merriman's are pricey but quite good.

Drinks at St. Regis in Princeville and Dolphins in Hanalei..
Kauai is one of the most stunning islands..just like Tahiti!

anna_roz

Breakfast - Joe's on the Green/Poipu.
Dinner - Plantation Gardens (within Kiahuna Plantation Resort); Merriman's at the Kukuiula Center/Poipu; Keoki's bar area with live music (you will need to call ahead re days w/live music);
Hyatt/Stevenson's Library serves wonderful sushi for dinner Friday through Sunday, great drinks and fantastic atmosphere.
Tidepools - gorgeous setting, o.k. food.
Never tried Donderos.
Lunch - Hamura Saimin gets my top vote for lunch or dinner.
Kalapaki Beach Hut for pretty great hamburges, fish & chips.

Get Kauai Underground Guide by Lenore Horowitz at your favorite bookstore. She has a pretty thorough food section with right-on reviews.

Aloha!

ksucat

wife and I love sushi but at Stevenson's library which we loved for drinks (happy hour), we could not pay $18 for a 5 piece roll..no way.
Tidepools was being renovated..heard mixed but better food now that its renovated.
I like your list anna!
aloha

nobigdeal

I'm a big fan of Puka Dog (in the same shopping center as Keoki's Paradise and Roy's). I also love Roy's, though I suggest enjoying some sunset cocktails somewhere else before heading there for dinner (no view). Merriman's wasn't open yet when I was there last summer, but I love it on the Big Island, so I would wholeheartedly recommend it. Agree that the Hyatt breakfast is good, jump on that if you can get a deal like ksucat.

As for activities, if you are looking for something organized, I've enjoyed a helicopter tour, a Na Pali coast boat tour (recommend Na Pali Catamaran), and the Kipu Ranch ATV tour. But you could keep quite busy on your own -- be sure to go to Waimea Canyon and to the lookout at the very end of the road. Not sure what beaches to recommend in April, but hopefully someone else can help there if you need it. I'm one to get out and do things on my vacations, but it's very hard for me to tear myself away from the Hyatt pools and lagoon. Great property, you'll love it.

PaigeS

Thanks for all the great tips. I'll try asking for that free breakfast deal and hope we get lucky. We used a travel agent and booked thru Blue Sky Tours Hawaii so I'm not certain we will qualify for that.

I do have helicopter tour booked thru Blue Hawaiian. It sounds like most things; Waimea Canyon, driving to Princeville, etc. we can just do on our own without having to pre-plan.

wbpiii

Another Puka Dog fan. I also like Roy's and Keoki's Paradise so nobigdeal get's my food vote. For uptown dining I like the Beach HOuse. I've eaten at Merriman's on the Big Island a number of times and have always enjoyed it.

Knowing

With a rental car you are able to go all over and eat at some wonderful places.
- Tomkats is a great lunch place. Love the beer battered mahi-mahi and the Mac salad
- Duke's at the Marriott. Wonderful food and a nice view
- Keoki's has great prime rib, a tropical ambiance and the Hyatt gave us free coupons for hula pie there. Close to Hyatt, too.
- Neidi's is another great lunch place when you're up north. The margarita's are a MUST!
- Tidepools - Love the ambiance - and the french onion soup
- Brick Oven Pizza is mouthwatering

Shar

Brenecke's for just about anything and great casual atmosphere
Red Salt for good but expensive meal
Roy's has good food but absolutely not atmosphere and very expensive
Gaylord's for another romantic meal
Pizza place in Koloa town - can't reemember the name - sorry
Beach house for drinks at sunset but food has gone way down hill.....
Also fun to grill at Poipu Beach Park and watch the sun set. just buy what you need at the markets and picnic

PaigeS

We are celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary on Monday the 5th and want to do a nice, romantic dinner that evening. In reviewing here, the best options appear to be Tidepools or Dondero's at the Hyatt (with the benefit to drink plenty of wine and then walk to our room). Or the Beach House, Red Salt, Gaylords. Which do you think is the best choice for a nice evening with wonderful food?

Puka Dog sounds awful but maybe I'm not pronouncing correctly, we'll probably give it a try. I tried to get the Kauai Underground Guide but it's sold out on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Maybe we can pick it up locally when we arrive.

wbpiii

Bad news about the Beach House.

What I like about Breneck's is the cocktail hour. The best mango margaurita and nachos at a super reasonable price. It was great after hiking and snorkeling all day.

anna_roz

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Do not stop at Princeville!! Do continue North to Hanalei and even beyond to Haena and Kee Beach, if you have the time and the weather is nice. In fact, if you decide to skip Princeville and just head to Hanalei, you will be fine. The newly refurbished St. Regis is a beige mess. The view is, however, stunning.

So, once you get to Hanalei and, if you are hungry, stop at Hanalei Gourmet (in the old schoolhouse) and have lunch. The food is delicious and drinks plentyful. Unfortunately, you will have to dine inside if you want to have drinks.

For the 25th Anniversary dinner question.. I would pick either Merrimans or Plantation Gardens, and I could go into detail explanation in support of my opinions but you will be bored. In short, Plantation Gardens is in a lovely garden setting in an old plantation house. Food is delicious (think seafood laulau/steamed fish and shellfish wrapped in banana leaves); service is decent and prices of value. With a drink for each, dessert to share and two courses per person, you will pay about $150. Merrimans is the current Kauai foodie's dream: food is good, artistically presented, good service. If you ask for a veranda table, you will likely get it and, if you come around sunset, well, there will be a distant one.

Beach House used to be very-very good, but this was very-very long time ago. The setting is truly spectacular but food has not been good since mid-90s, or since Jean Marie Joselyn (I am murdering his name here) sold the place. Here is another idea, go to the Beach House before sunset and have a celebratory drink at the bar; watch the sunset, pay the bill and head to one of the above for a nice meal.

As far as the restaurants at the Hyatt.. I would not pick Tidepools for such a wonderful occasion and, like I said, I know nothing about Donderos except that it is a hotel's restaurant which is customarily average.

Brenneke's serves pretty mean Happy Hour Mai Tais. We have not dined there for a few years but I have not heard too many raves about it lately.

Congratulations to you!!

anna_roz

So, I re-read my post and want to clarify a few points. I did not mean that you should not stop at Princeville. So that but do continue further North. Whew!

Look at your neighborhood bookstore for the Kauai Underground Guide by Lenore Horowitz. If not, I am sure you will find it on the Island since this is a very popular publication; written by a lady who is a long-time visitor and a homeowners; and who donates 100% of her profits to various local charities. Very honorable person. The book also includes a CD by a wonderful Hawaiian artist, Kealii Reickel (G-d help me with my spelling). You will enjoy his music in your rental car!

We have not tried the Puka Dog but have friends that rave about it, particularly one with a pineapple relish.

You do have a very good point about having drinks with your dinner and then just walking to your room. We are extremely socially conscious and have the same dilemma every New Years Eve that we spend on the Island. I would still recommend that you choose a great restaurant for your dinner and have one drink for the designated driver and, perhaps, more for the other person? Get a bottle of something wonderful (wine shop or Big Save market in Koloa Town) to share in your room afterwards.

rncheryl

We celebrated our 40th anniv at Gaylords last year. A special offering, don't remember what it was called, but found it on their website. We arrived a little early and a photographer spent about 30 minutes with us, shooting outside, in the drawing room, by our table, etc. We have a couple of really spectacular pictures of our evening. We were seated on a private area of the outside patio. A menu was printed with our names, date, and occasion. The meal was very nice, and the surroundings/atmosphere were fabulous.

We stayed in Hanalei; recommend Postcards, Hanalei Dolphin and Hanalei Gourmet.

You will have the trip of a lifetime!

Shar

Anniversary----i would pick Red Salt or Gaylords. We had an anniversary dinner at Red Salt and loved it. It is very quiet, great food and nice atmosphere. Roy's has good food but no atmosphere and sometimes can be very loud.

ksucat

We enjoyed Red Salt but very modern and no view and not very romantic..food is good but I would look to either Merriman's or Beach House at sunset.
Grand Hyatt, check out Tidepools and Dondero's before you book.
See if they still have the 4-5 course meal for $60 at Dondero's..it was exquisite.
I would make sure you drive up to the St. Regis for lunch.

anna_roz

Agree, Red Salt serves good food, but the restaurant is within the hotel's lobby, no view, nothing really in terms of atmosphere.. Personally, and I stress this, I am not a fan of Gaylords. The setting is nice (Plantation Gardens is nicer, IMO) but it just does not measure up to today's standards in terms of food and presentation. Again, if others had wonderful experiences there, I am happy for them.

sf7307

How is the food at Plantation Gardens? It's such a pretty place, but I was always concerned that the food wouldn't "measure up" (really, I assumed it would fit anna_roz' description of Gaylords, which is "does not measure up to today's standards in terms of food and presentation". Am I wrong about Plantation Gardens?

RFR

I have not been to Poipu for a couple of years, but visited every year before that for 5-6 years. Based on that:

I really like Plantation Gardens. Excellent ambiance and food always very good.

I think Keoki's is meant to be kind of a tourist view of the south seas and does that fine. The food is ok, not great.

A couple of years ago the Beach House food was the best I have had there; you go there for the view; book near sunset.

Puka Dog is good for a hot dog, but it is just a hot dog.

I like Duke's in Lihue. It is really a nice steak house with salad bar. Good prime rib.

I like the breakfast buffet at the Hyatt Regency in Poipu. It is high quality, expensive, and I think only on the weekend.

If you re in Koloa at lunch time, there is a take out window which is on the side of the Sueoka store. A lot of locals get lunch there; I like their hamburger.

RFR

I forgot to mention Roy's. Food is very good, but, like others have said, the view is basically of a small shopping center.