Kauai Restaurants

Guidebooks

Bar Acuda

Fodorite Reviews

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Bar Acuda Review

This hip and pricey tapas bar is a top place in Hanalei in terms of tastiness, creativity, and pizzazz. Owner-chef Jim Moffat's brief menu changes regularly: You might find banderillas (grilled flank steak skewers with honey and chipotle chili oil), whole roasted tomato bruschetta, or Spanish chorizo with grilled apples. The food is consistently remarkable, but it's the subtly intense sauces that elevate the cuisine to outstanding. It's super casual, but chic, with a nice porch for outdoor dining.

Contact Information

Address: Hanalei Center, 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, HI 96714 | Map It
Phone: 808/826-7081
Website: www.restaurantbaracuda.com
Location: North Shore Kauai

Restaurant Details

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Fodorite Reviews

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Bar Acuda Review

I hadn't expected this place to be so good. Everyone said there was no good dining on the north shore of Kauai. Our dinner was outstanding. And it really hit the spot when we wanted a light meal, since tapas is so easy to adapt.

We had a drink at the bar while waiting for a table (no reservation) and thought the bartender was great. Would happily eat at the bar if no table was available.

by china_cat, 11/22/09
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Foodies in Paradise

We've been to Kauai about 4 times in the past 3 years, and this has been by far one of our favorite places! Everything we tried was delicious. Even though we don't eat a lot of red meat we ordered the slow braised beef short rib on recommendation from our waiter... no regrets there; it was mouth-wateringly delicious! It's definitely not a "Budget" place, but I'll bet die-hard "Foodies" will find the prices in line with the quality. Also, it is also a place where quality over quantity rules. Our waiter was also very friendly, helpful and informative, which is not always what yu get in a highly touristed area. So nice!

by SloPugs, 2/5/09
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Ridiculously overpriced

Our first night in Kauai my family of 8 dinned at Bar Acuda based upon recommendations from frommers.com and tripadvisor.com We ordered 2 plates of the Kailani Farms Mesclun greens. This turned out to be mixed lettuce with dressing for $16. We also ordered 2 plates of the grilled pancetta wrapped sea scallop for $24. I guess we should have known that this dish consisted of 1 scallop per order. Needless to say it’s pretty hard to split 2 scallops amongst 8 people. The wine list was also extremely overpriced with bottles averaging $50 or more. Our bill came to over $350 and we all left hungry.

by goldielockstoo, 1/15/09
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Dont do the Bar Acuda

Good wine selection, terrible food. Serving sizes are small,disappointing and tasteless. Service is slow and snooty. I would go back only for a drink and eat elsewhere.

by LAwoman101, 6/1/08
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Hidden Treasure

Our time on Kauai was amazing. The highlight was our experience at Bar Acuda. We had such a fabulous dinner. Every dish was perfect. The space was cozy with candlelight and groovy music. This is just what Kauai needed. I'm from San Fran and heard the chef/owner is from there as well. Turns out he's the genius behind the legendary 42 Degrees and Slow Club. Well done, Mr. Moffat.

by longboarder, 5/11/08