We will be in Kauai in early October and are splitting our time between the North and South shores.

I would love some recs for restaurants with excellent food and ambiance. A Hawaii/Pan-Asian, we don't have that in Los Angeles kind of place would be great.

Or, just your favorites. Any price.

The best food and service in the south, is hands down, Roy's. It's in a mini mall. The next best is The Beach House, the setting is more romantic, but food and service slightly under par, but still wouldn't pass it up. Make reservation before you leave home for a sunset, window table. Tidepools at Hyatt very nice, again, ask for window table near the waterfall.
8-)

Alisa,
I have a report on file of my favorites on Kauai. I go there every year. email me if you would like it. I do have a posting on here named belated kauai trip report 7/15 through 8/5. I listed a few on there

Best food on the island is currently at A Pacific Cafe in Kapaa. However, its location in a shopping center doesn't give it the greatest ambiance. Best ambiance and food is found at Tidepools at the Hyatt. IMHO Roy's is a bit dated and no longer as innovative or fresh as its once was.

Travelermebe, how long since you have been to Kauai? A Pacific Cafe no longer is unless it has just reopened recently..What about it AuntieM?

South-Roy's
Kapaa-Coconuts and HukiLau Lanai
North-Cafe Hanalei

My (3) favorites were Scotty's BBQ in Kapaa, Dukes in Lihue and the simple mexican food place in Hanalei. The name sescapes me at the moment.

We have a Beach House 10 minutes from us in So Cal and it's awesome as well.

I've always heard Roy's is outstanding but have never been there. We stick to Ruth's Chris and Flemings for quality steaks!!

A PacCafe was supposed to re-open at the Coral Reef Hotel so it would have an oceanside setting.

Heard from them about 2-3 months ago and they said Pac Cafe had no ETA. Auntie M??? :-?

A Pacific Cafe closed their doors last year -- amid local press reports that they would "soon be relocating" (as part of the small Hotel Coral Reef in Kapa`a). As of last week, the clerk at Hotel Coral Reef told me that "there are plans for the restaurant to open here, but nothing definite". ???????

The good news is, we've got _lots_ of other great dining options on this island to fill that void. Whenever someone asks for the "best" restaurant though, I'm cautious with my reply. Best food? Best service? Best ambiance? Best prices? Best pizza/steak/seafood/salad bar? Or...? Here's my 2 cents on some of the places mentioned:

Roys - great food, good service, lousy ambiance (shopping center)

Tidepools - great food, great service, great ambiance

Beach House - good food, inconsistent service, great ambiance

Coconuts - great food, great service (usually), no views but the interior is very "island"

Scotty's BBQ - yummmmmy food, good service, great views

Duke's (upstairs) - great food, great service, great ambiance

Cafe Portofino (next door to Duke's) - great food, great service, great ambiance

Hamura Saimin -- da best saimin, good service, horrible ambiance but _very_ Kaua`i!

"HORRIBLE" at Hamura's, Auntie M?!?!?!

No waaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!

Although I do feel like Gulliver sitting at the counter on a milking stool!

kal

i'm sorry - those are fighting words...

meet me outside. i'm gonna have to kick your okole

(smile)

Bring a lunch...I gotta BIG okole!

I love "Hammies". Wish we could have kept is secret like "you know where" in Hanalei!

geez, i'll have to eat crow on that one.

jumped to end of thread

i'm sorry

Kal..........Wake Up, my friend!!!

AuntieM
Can't believe A Pacific Cafe closed. It was our favorite place to eat on Kauai. Phenomenal meals. Please keep us advised if it reopens or the head chef starts somewhere else.

We also especially liked Tidepools and Coconuts and that restaurant located in Kiahuna Plantation whose name escapes me. We also had a less than spectacular meal at Roy's (maybe we were unlucky). For casual dining, we also had a couple of good meals at Joes on the Green.

I'll have to put in my two cents for Joe's on the Green for dinner. They are only open on Wed. and Thursday nights and take reservations. We were there a couple weeks ago and had great food. They had live entertainment which was excellent, and are fairly priced. I wouldn't suggest it as my "Honeymoon" dinner, but it was nice in the middle of the week.
8-)

We were there last month and had excellent dinners every night. My favorites were the Beach House and the Plantation Garden restaurant at Kiahuna Plantation. These places having both wonderful food AND nice ambiance.

We also enjoyed Roy's and Keokis Paradise. The fun atmosphere at Keokis complimented the well prepared entrees plus we had an especially nice and efficient waitress there. The ambiance just isn't the same at these two places because they are in a shopping center. If you hit Poipu Shopping Center at lunch though, try Puka Dogs.

Alisa,

Even though dining on Kaua`i is notoriously terrible, we were able to struggle through a few edible meals on our recent trip.

Postcards in Hanalei.
Cafe Hanalei for a non-buffet dinner.
Hanalei Dolphin
I love watching people who walk into Hamura's for the first time. They are all a bit shocked. I find the peeling linoleum and tilted counter tops quite charming, really.

-Bill

Love you guys! Great advice!

Postcards in Hanalei was great. Vegetarian restaurant except for the fish. Fish was great!

Hanalei Dolphin was great for lunch. They have a fish market if you want to do your own.

Alisa, one place that DH absolutely loves is Lihue BBQ Inn...just down the street from Hamarua's. Lots of locals. Great food, with a little more ambiance than Hammy's, but not much!