The Hawaii withdrawal was too much to take, so we scraped together enough points & miles to make it affordable and we are heading to Kauai next month! It has been about 5 years since our last visit to Kauai so I'm looking for any current restaurant recommendations. Location doesn't matter as we will have a car and like to get out and explore. I'd love recommendations for a good fish sandwich, other cheap eats and even a place for a nice dinner with my husband. Thanks!

I saved this from another thread a couple of weeks ago:

"Very good restaurants in Poipu area, so they don't have to drive the hour and half back from the north shore after dining and drinking:
Beach House, Roy's, Tidepool's, Plantation Gardens, Merriman's, Dondero's, Red Salt, Stevenson's Library Jazz and sushi at Hyatt

Casual: Keoki's Paradise Poipu and Dukes, Lihue

Best Sunset Catamaran sail is Captain Andy's from Port Allen.
Best golf: Poipu Bay Golf Course at the Grand Hyatt
Best Helo: Jack Harter from Lihue
Best Shave Ice: Jo Jo's or Wishing Well"

Thanks sf7307! Merriman's looks interesting.

Not a sandwich but real good fish and chips at Kalapaki Beach Hut by the Marriott Hotel in Lihue. Hamburgers are pretty good also. Again, not a fish sandwich place, but Hamura Saimin on Kress Street in Lihue for an amazing bowl of steaming saimin, barbeque chicken or beef sticks and a slice of delicious lilikoi pie.

For that special dinner, I second suggestion above for Plantation Gardens. Very good value. Have seafood lau lau, which is delicious.

In researching our September trip, I've had a couple recommendations for Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant (& Fish Market), which does have fish sandwiches on its menu. If you happen to get there, please report back!

Now that we are on the subject of markets.. how about Koloa Fish Market for seared ahi, sashimi, poke of every type and denomination (Korean being one of personal favorites here), and plate lunches. Get there early (by 11:00) for the best selection of plate lunches, which you can then take to the beach and enjoy!

Now you got me into Kauai withdrawal and I am not getting my fix until February 2012!

Had a tasty dinner at Josselin's in Poipu this past February if tapas interest you.

Thank you!! All of the suggestions sound wonderful. Hamura Saimin will be a huge hit with my teens. I stayed at Kiahuna Plantation on my last trip and never ate at Plantation Gardens so I'll have to give it a try for a least a cocktail and pupus while my kids are getting their Puka Dog fix across the street. I'll make sure I report back on any of the above suggestions. I'd really like to try them all.

We're thinking of going for 5 or 6 days in the fall. Can't wait to try all of these suggestions, although I avoid "fine dining" in Hawaii -- generally doesn't measure up to San Francisco so not worth it to me. But I love all the other more casual and inexpensive suggestions. A cocktail at Plantation Gardens sounds perfect!

Any suggestions for more casual but sit-down restaurants (any type of food) in the Poipu area. We like Keoki's casual side -- is there anything else like it? We had dinner at Pizzetta in Koloa Town a few years ago and it was awful -- bad service and mediocre food.

Hi sf7307,

How about breakfast or lunch at Kalaheo Coffee (they are not open for dinner) or maybe Tomkats? The latter gets mixed reviews but I have always had good luck there as long as I stick to simpler stuff like fish and chips, burgers, etc. Tomkats is in Koloa.

Thanks jamie. I'll add them to my list.

Is Merriman's as good as it looks? We don't tend to eat out 'nice' in Hawaii, but this looks good.

I am planning a trip to Kauai very soon myself. So please keep this list growing as I will print it out and take it with me. A shopowner near my home recommended Merriman's. I didn't see it in "...Revealed." She said it was very good. I have found out nothing about it.

Not sure if you are interested in the north shore, but we had a lovely dinner at Postcards in Hanalei. Atmosphere, food, desert, coffee, service all great.

Merriman's was excellent when we dined there in December 2009. We dined in the upstairs restaurant, not the cafe downstairs. Honestly, there is nothing else in Poipu in terms of casual dining where one would get one's vacation $$ worth, but this is my subjective opinion. I can only do Keoki's bar area on nights when there is live music, since I find the dining room dining overpriced and underwhelming. I really like having a drink and sonme sushi at Stevenson's Library (bar) at the Hyatt, but by the time drinks and sushi are accounted for, it is no longer casual dining.

anna_roz, we're staying at the Hyatt this time (freebies!). I agree with you about dining in Poipu, so where DO you eat?

Kalaheo Cafe and Coffeeeeeeee....yummmmmmmmmmmm

I'll be there!

Thanks for topping this sf7307. I agree about Pizzetta. It was probably the worst and most expensive pizza I have ever eaten. I checked the menu at Kalaheo Cafe and the Sweet Bread French Toast sounds delicious! I'll probably need to head to Waimea Canyon for a hike after breakfast. Any suggestions for finding a good malasada?

wtm, sounds like a perfect day - french toast and a latte for breakfast, hike at Waimea Canyon, malasada for desert, a little beach time. What could be better? (Too bad you'll be there in June and not October -- we could do this day together!)