We're staying at the Grd Hyatt on Kauai but would like some suggestions of good less expensive restaurants than the ones at the hotel. We'll have a car.

If you do a search on Kauai restaurants you will find quite a few recommendations posted. There are several places in the shopping center down the road from the Hyatt. We like Plantation Garden at the Kiahuna Plantation.

Keoki's Paradise is in the shopping center down the road. The valet's at the Hyatt usually give us a coupon for free Mud Pie when we say we are going there. Roy's which can be expensive, but they have a three course tasting menu for about $33 is in same center. Joe's on the Green (golfcourse) serves dinner Wed. & Thurs. nights outdoors, and has entertainment.

Don't miss Puka Dog for the very best hotdogs ever!

If you haven't already left for your trip, I would suggest purchasing the Ultimate Guidebook Kauai. It has listings of numerous restings by cuisine and location with unbiased reviews and recommendations. It was an absolute gem to have on our trip.

One of my favorite restaurants was Kauai Pasta.

Here's a big second for Kauai Pasta. They have a location in Lihue and one in Kapaa.

Also, be sure to go to Hamura's Saimen in Lihue.

A third for Kauai Pasta.

We tried for Hamuras but it was the only place on the island that I felt out of place so I didn't want to stay.

We took food to go from Hamura's and it was yummy! It's a local crowd, so it was nice to experience that. We would have like to have eaten in the restaurant, but there was a line out the door for seats.

Other inexpensive places I recommend: Bubba's Burgers in Kapa'a and Hanalei (excellent burgers made with local beef), Polynesia Cafe in Hanalei (their motto is "gourmet food on paper plates"-- delicious!), Poipu Tropical Burgers, in the shopping center right near the Hyatt (excellent breakfast). And for dessert, be sure not to miss Jo Jo's Shave Ice in Waimea. The best on the island!

We stayed at the Hyatt last summer and LOVED it!

Try: Keoki's Paradise, Brick Oven Pizza, Roy's, and the Beach House.

For an inexpensive delicious lunch, we enjoyed the plate lunches at Koloa Fish Market for around $6-7. Kalaheo Steak House and Pomodoro (Italian) in Kalaheo were both very good and not at all expensive. For somewhere special, the Beach House which was recommended to us by locals who rated it above Roy's.

We have eaten at both Roy's and the Beach House. Roy's has better food, but it is in a shopping plaza. The Beach House has good food, but you go there for the view. It has the best sunset view of any restaurant on the island. If you decide on the Beach House, make reservations well in advance.

Agree with beachgirl about Keoki's Paradise. To keep the cost down, eat in the bar. The food is great and it is more fun than eating in the main restaurant.

The Pono Market in Kapa'a has great plate lunches and the best fried chicken on the island.

i would put in a second to the suggestion of Hamura Saimen in Lihue.
It is a little hole in the wall - and down a back street - very hard to find. My bro-in-law travels to Kauai from Oahu every couple of months to stock up on their soup!

We liked Hamura's too. Good food and great prices. We got our food to go and ate it on our balcony while we watched the sunset. I think we were the only tourists in the place. If you go, be sure to try the lilikoi pie.

Bubbba's Burgers is a good place for a good, cheap, juicy burger. Their slogan is, "We cheat tourists, drunks, and attorneys." I think they've been in business for 70 years or something like that.

The best thing about Bubba's is the experience! It is a lot of fun - you can take your lunch and eat on the tables outside on the grass.