Where should I go for dinner on my 50th birthday while in Kauai
 

God willing, I will celebrate my 50th birthday while we are in Kauai. Where should we go for that special dinner? We are staying at the Marriott in Lihue and may just want to have a few bubblies, or I guess my husband could wait and have his bubblies another night and be the dd on my birthday!!

The Beach House at sunset. I hope it is still as wonderful as when Pacific Cafe ran it! Wishing you many more!

How about you both get to have the bubbly? I came across this while searching for cottages on Kauai: a catered candlelight dinner for two at the beach of your choice! Expensive but way romantic! Here's the link:<BR><BR>http://www.heavenlycreations.org/beachsidedinner.htm

Unfortunately, IMHO Beach House has never been the same since Jean-Marie Josselyn sold this restaurant. It's still a great place to have cocktails and appetizers while watching the sunset, but the rest of the menu is overpriced and overhyped. If your big b-day is on a Friday, I'd highly recommend Cafe Hanalei at the Princeville Resort, where they have the most spectacular seafood buffet we've ever had on Friday nights. Make the earliest possible reservation and if weather permits, ask to be seated outside where you can catch a great sunset with Bali Hai (Mt. Makena) in the background. This would be far and away my 1st choice for such a special occasion! Best wishes to you and enjoy!

I think there ways a Roys in a shopping center near the Hyatt. I remember it being very nice.

Roy's would be my 1st choice, then the Beach House.

Some more suggestions...<BR>Tidepools at the Hyatt Poipu has a lovely atmosphere and wonderful menu. Pacific Cafe, located in Kapaa (not far from the Marriott) never disappoints, although like Roy's, it's in a shopping center. Still, I happen to much prefer Pacific Cafe (owned and hands-on managed by Jean-Marie Josselyn, who formerly was chef-owner of Beach House) to Roy's. The seafood buffet at Cafe Hanalei in Princeville remains my #1 choice, however!

I would also recommend Beach House.... was there a week ago and it was terrific. And I would 2nd a previous responders' comment of going during sunset...the view is breathtaking. But make reservations days in advance as the 6-6:30 reservations book up quickly.

Another vote for the Beach House (we were there in November). Reserve well in advance for a window table at sunset. Overpriced and overhyped? Expensive certainly, but hey how often do you have a 50th birthday! Great cocktails, great food, great sunset view. Unforgettable.

Don't go to Roy's for celebration dinner. It is eating in a shopping center. Not a fun atmosphere and I thought the food was just ok. A view of the beach means Hawaii.

Yah know a lot of people suggest the Beach House for the view but not many give high marks on cuisine. (I have not read this thread) I had a reservation there in August we drove up to go to our sunset view table, I reserved months in advance. We saw about 100 people standing on the lawn infront the view. We saw this from the road and decided it was not worth it given these numbers. Nobody here has had that experience in August or other busy times? I have not eaten so I can't give you an opinion. Perhaps the crowd does not regularly obstruct the view.<BR><BR>I love Roys at other locations so that would be my choice depending on what side of the island you are on. If you are on the North Shore than I would either do any restaurant with a view of Balhi Hi, First Choice Princeville Sheraton, Second Choice Hanalei Bay Resort Retaurant I forget the names.<BR><BR>Before HBR actually I would head on down to the Pacific Cafe in Kapaa. It is only a half hour drive and the food is GREAT!!!

Margot55, what does the seafood buffet at Cafe Hanalei offer that makes it such a hit?<BR>Also, how difficult is it to get an outside table w/view? <BR>Iceeu2, one way to help decide that special local is to stop by the potential choices during the day while<BR>exploring and have an on-site look. It's a fact, will need to book the Beach House ahead if that's your #1 pick. Happy 50th!

Hey rainbro,<BR><BR>Just returned from Kauai and actually ate at the seafood buffet a week ago today. I can 2nd Margot55's description of it being &quot;spectacular&quot;. As to what it had to offer, the easier question to answer is what it didn't have to offer, which is not much. Basically they offered any and all types of seafood you can think....shrimp (raw, fried, cajun), crab legs, sushi, salads (both seafood and non), and the list goes on and on. Buffet including coffee and dessert came to $50/person.<BR><BR>As far as the difficulty in getting an outside table, we made our 5:30 reservation (the earliest they have) on Tues. morning I think. But making the reservation is only half the battle as people start lining up early to get the best tables. We got there about 5:20 and there must have been 25-30 people ahead of us (the couple right ahead of us was on line already for a 6:30 reservation). So while we were outside, we didn't get a &quot;prime&quot; outdoor table.

rainbo: I have heard great things about the seafood buffet at the Princeville Sheraton (Cafe Hanalei) also, not just from tourist but from locals. I have had the same questions as you. I do think the view is better than Beach house.<BR><BR>I have not had great luck with seafood in common restaurants on Kauai. I am thinking seafood comes at a premium cost here. I don't know why that is being so close to the water and all. Pacific Cafe nice experience, Grocery store found great tuna but not all the time. A few times I was served frozen in restaurants or it just was not cooked properly. Roys of course never disappoints. Just does not seem like there are enough restaurants on Kauai that specialize in seafood, odd for a island home.<BR><BR>If you go to the beach house restaurant you can look at a menu.

Princeville's Cafe Hanalei has the most amazing views I've ever seen - perhaps second only to the Grand Canyon. <BR><BR>I don't eat seafood, so I was sorely disappointed when we stayed there and popped for the buffet and found nothing to eat - it truly is all gourmet seafood. If you like seafood, I'm sure you'll find it spectacular.<BR><BR>As for outside tables (a MUST). We dropped in for a late dinner (on a non seafood buffet night). As we were guests in the hotel, the hostess had an extra table brought out and set up at the end of the lanai. It made for the most romantic setting.<BR><BR>You won't soon forget the experience.

Then again it depends on what is most important to you for the 50th. The Beach House is a great place for drinks and appetizers I agree. Depending on the evening it can be pretty noisy..and then there is all the action on the lawn folks have mentioned. I actually thought the Princeville(HBC) was indeed a beautiful spot however did not find the food to be noticably better than the Beach House. I might also recommend Casa di Amici on the North shore. Happy BD!

Rainbro, we actually have never eaten at Cafe Hanalei other than for the seafood buffet, but I know the restaurant is highly regarded. There is also a high end Italian restaurant, La Cascata, at the same resort, also with fine views. If you do go for the seafood buffet, it's absolutely true that you should start lining up at the stairway that goes down to the restaurant - we usually try to get there at 5 for a 5:30 reservation, and believe me, we're never 1st in line! That should be sufficient to give you a prime table, however. BTW, Casa Di Amici is no longer on the north shore, it's in Poipu, but ratings have not been good. And, by no means do I mean to &quot;diss&quot; Beach House, it is a great place to catch a sunset while having drinks and &quot;pupus&quot;, but the more dramatic views are at the Princeville Resort. And yes, the buffet has the highest quality of every kind of fish and seafood imaginable, as well as unusual and fabulous salads and high grade sushi. There are a few non-fish dishes, but the focus is the fish! Have a great time and let us know where you wound up going!

If you are feeling lazy, you can just go to Duke's whcih is adjacent to the Marriott. We have celebrated a lot of special occasions there! Great view, good fish, not &quot;fine dining&quot; but it's consistently good.<BR><BR>I also love the Cafe Hanalei at the Princeville Hotel, but make sure you go while there is still daylight so you can enjoy the stunning view.<BR><BR>If you are a &quot;foodie&quot; try A Pacific Cafe in the Safeway shopping center near Kapa'a. Excellent food, gourmets love it there, but there is no view.<BR><BR>Casa d'Amici that somebody mentioned above has been relocated to a hard-to-find spot in Poipu sorta between Embassy and Brennecke's.<BR><BR>I also like Gaylords for the plantation house ambience.

I defer to the folks who know about Casa di Amici since their move. I ate there while it was on North shore and thought it was a sweet little place with relatively good food. Sounds like the Princeville might be your spot!

Thanks for all of the ideas...I guess I will just have to celebrate the entire 2 weeks we are there and try all of the places you all have mentioned!!<BR>