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Restaurant recommendations on the big island and Kauai

lamb

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It's been a while since we've last visited these islands. Any recommendations? We will mostly be in the Princeville area on Kauai and Waikoloa Village on Hawaii. I recall liking Duke's beachfront in Lihue and Postcards Cafe in Hanalei when last on Kauai. Thanks!
 

Luanne

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Big Island restaurants, these are all places we’ve been and would recommend:

Starting at the “North” end and working south:

Havi:

Bamboo Restaurant – we’ve only been for lunch, be sure they are open (I think they’re closed on Mondays)

Kawaihae Harbor:

Café Pesto – they also have a location in Hilo

Waimea:

Merrimans

Lilikoi Café – this is a tiny little kind of take out place, some friends of ours who lived in Kona recommended it. Really good for lunch. Kind of hard to find, it’s hidden on the back side of a shopping center.

Village Burger – order at the counter and pick up at the counter. There is seating in the center where it’s located, the seating is for all of the food court type restaurants there. It is highly rated and does have a decent burger.

Waikoloa Resort area:

Sensai Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar - in the Queen’s Shopping Center. Had the best sushi roll I’ve ever had there. They have a pretty extensive menu, not just sushi.

Lava Lava Beach House – right on the beach, in fact you can sit in a table in the sand.

Waikoloa Village:

Pueo’s Osteria - very good Italian

Island Lava Java – a coffee place, but they have a nice menu. Ate dinner there our first night on the island. Not a fancy setting at all. The outdoor tables have a view of the parking lot.

Kohala coast resorts (these are all pricey, the food is good but we go for the atmosphere):

Four Seasons Hualailai – Ulu Ocean Grill, there is also the Beach Tree Bar (I’ve been there for lunch, not dinner)

Fairmont Orchid - Brown’s Beach House

Mana Lani - Canoe House

Kona:

Huggo’s (this is not the same as Huggo’s on the Rocks. We’ve been to the On the Rocks one and it’s good, very casual, but we really like Huggo’s

Kona Brewing Company & Pub – good pizza, nice local beer selection

Fish Hopper Seafood & Steaks

Kona Inn Restaurant – mostly for the atmosphere. We’ve only eaten lunch here.

South of Kona:

Keei Café

Coffee Shack – for breakfast

Volcano Village:

Kilauea Lodge – make a reservation if you’re going for dinner

Ohelo Café – Open for lunch and dinner, we’ve only been there for lunch.

Café Ono – part of a complex that has a one unit B&B and a gallery. Only open for lunch, vegetarian menu…..but very good.

Hilo:

Café Pesto – same as the one in Hawi
 

DaveNV

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In Kapa'a on Kauai, two of our favorites are:

Kountry Kitchen for breakfast (recently remodeled, so more seating, makes it quicker to get to the food.) HUGE portions. Bring an appetite. http://www.kountrystylekitchen.com

Olympic Cafe, upstairs on the main road. Great pub-grub sandwiches, icy cold beer. What's not to love? http://www.olympiccafekauai.com

In Poipu, Brennecke's next to the beach is always a great place for lunch. http://www.brenneckes.com

And in Hanalei, we enjoy having the fresh fish and chips at Kalypso. They also (coincidentally) have great, icy cold beer. Check when Happy Hour is for best value. It's a toss up what kind of seating you'll get, but the food is worth it. And it's kind of gnarly seeing wild chickens wandering around indoors, looking for a handout. They're polite beggars, but still, the health department must look the other way. ;) http://www.kalypsokauai.com/contact.html

For upscale dining, nothing beats a sunset dinner at The Beach House in Poipu. When they open the west wall, every table has a great sunset view. http://www.the-beach-house.com

Kauai is a favorite place to be. Have fun! (I'm suddenly homesick for Kauai! :) )

Dave
 

Rjbeach2003

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Kohala Burger in Kawaihae.
Holy Donuts-pastries in Kailua-Kona.
Jackie Rey's Kailua-Kona
Big Island Brewhaus Waimea
 

Luanne

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Also on the Big Island in the King's Shops at the Waikoloa Resort are two restaurants that have opened up since the last time we were there.

A-Bay Island Grill
Koa Table

The reviews are pretty good (better for Koa Table) and you might want to scope them out before you decide to eat there.
 

slip

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Lava Lava just south of the Coconut Marketplace has great food and Happy hour. Dinners are a little pricey but tables are in the sand. We also like Street Burger. High end burgers with a lot of beers on tap. Kauai Beer Company in Lihue has a great lunch too and I love the lager.
 

slip

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Luanne, great information. I'll have to remember all these next time go to the Big Island.
 

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Umekes big island fresh fish all day, incredible. All the locals go there. We spent a month in Hawaii. This was by far the best fish. Other food there is very good
 

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We've been going to Big Island for nearly 20 years... here are our recommendations:

Fine Dining
  • Muana Kea Resort (5 min north of Waikoloa Village)
    • The Pavilion at Manta Ray Point (AKA Manta Ray) - brunch (Sunday), breakfast, dinner - recommend dinner at Sunset which is a breathtaking view. Pricey, but absolutely worth it -- beyond words to describe how relaxing and beautiful this place is.
    • Lu'au (Tuesdays, Fridays) - best luau on the island (if not Hawaii) IMO - same serene setting as Manta Ray but on the point so 360 view of ocean and sunset. Good food. Nice, traditional luau with opportunity for little ones to dance on stage
    • Can see manta rays after dinner or lu'au at Manta Ray Point (they have lights which attract the fish which attract the manta rays) -- really cool to see
    • Free valet parking for both
    • Have to call for reservations for either of the above
    • Also the nicest family beach in Hawaii (if not the world) here -- gentle waves and sand is like butter. They have public access (ask at gate), but fills up early, so another option is go for breakfast and valet park and wear swimsuit under clothes and bring towels
  • Fairmont Orchid (2 min north of Waikoloa Village)
    • Browns on the Beach - literally on the beach with amazing sunset, and impeccable food and service (and price to go along). Here is a photo from our table:
      18815424_10155338701731796_2319198356200450076_o.jpg

    • Norios (Japanese) - good food and good service. located in hotel, so you can get some view of sunset, but nothing near what you can at Browns. Family friendly.
    • Free valet parking for both
    • Both can be booked on Open Table
  • Roy's (King's Marketplace in Waikoloa Village) - it's Roy's so it's great as always, but no view and quite loud
  • Hapuna Prince Hotel (5 min north of Waikoloa Village - sister resort to Mauna Kea - entrance to resort is on east side of road not towards ocean)
    • Lobby restaurant (just below lobby area) - Great breakfast with a view of Hapuna Beach
    • Coast - good for dinner but set back behind pool much lower down than breakfast area so nothing like view/experience at Manta Ray at Mauna Kea or Brown's at Fairmont Orchid, so I hestitate to even recommend unless you are looking for other nice places to eat nearby
    • I believe they have free valet as well but been a few years since we've been so don't recall
    • Can be booked on Open Table
  • Four Seasons Hulalei (10 min south of Waikoloa Village) - Not our #1 choice, but all the food options are good here
  • Do not recommend Hilton Waikoloa Village - been to all the restaurants here - nothing spectacular and overpriced
  • Do not recommend Lava Lava - others recommend this highly, but for nearly the same price as Browns or Manta Ray it was poor service and just good (not great) food - and view/ambiance isn't that nearly as relaxing or picturesque as Browns or Manta Ray despite being on the beach. Hit Lava Lava up for drinks and appetizers or burgers, but not a relaxing sunset dinner. Free self-parking. Can be booked on Open Table.
  • Do not recommend Mai Grill @ King's Golf Club across the street from Kings' Land - this used to be a decent place for breakfast, and the food was very good but the service was beyond terrible. We almost walked out after waiting 20 minutes and we were one of three tables! Never again.
  • Do not recommend Canoe House @ Mauna Lani - We had a terrible service at Mauna Lani for dinner the one time we tried it (despite being one of 3 tables) and will never return.
Cheaper (not cheap) eats
  • Charley's Thai (Queen Marketplace in Waikoloa Village) - good take out option in waikoloa. It's Thai. It's good. A little on the pricey side for take out, but par for the course in Hawaii.
  • Sansei (Queen Marketplace in Waikoloa Village) - good seafood, but no view or ambiance (it's in a strip mall)
Cheap (local) food - mostly breakfast (or lunch)
  • Hawaiian Style Cafe (in Waimea) - this is your quintessential Hawaii diner with banana mac nut pancakes, corn beef hash etc. The plates are incredibly big. Take whatever you are picturing in your mind, and triple that. Easily feed 2-3 people with one plate and it's not just plentiful but really hits the spot.
  • Aloha Deli - just north of Mauna Kea is also supposed to be really good but haven't tried personally.

As far as Kauai -- been a long time since we've been there, but one place that sticks out is Ono Family Restaurant (north of Lihue in Kapa'a) - great local diner for breakfast. Sooo good! There was also a decent Teppanyaki place (Kintaro) in Kapa'a.
 
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lamb

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Thanks so much for the suggestions so far! I'll print this thread before our flight and review online menus while killing time at the airports. I've seen restaurant names that I'd forgotten and also some entirely new ones. Looking forward to our trip!
 

lynne

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If you plan on driving Hamakua Coast or go to Waipio Valley, Gramma's Kitchen in Honokaa is the place to go for breakfast or lunch. Home cooking, reasonable prices and large portions. It is family owned and ono good food, nothing fancy. You can order breakfast all day as well as 'off the menu' requests.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/grammas-kitchen-honokaa-2
 

WalnutBaron

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On Kauai, I recommend the following:

Cheap Eats

Puka Dogs, in the Poipu Shopping Village. You can get the dogs wrapped in your choice of bun, served with your choice of tropical-oriented sauces. Even Anthony Bourdain loves 'em!

Uncle's Shave Ice in Poipu or Lihue. Extensive flavor choices, friendly people.

Pono Market in Kapaa. Delicious poke, ahi, and Kalua pork. It looks like a gas station, but there's a lot more to it!

Fine Dining

Makana Terrace, located at the St. Regis Princeville Hotel. One of those singular dining experiences you will never forget. The setting is amazing, the views unforgettable overlooking Hanalei Bay and Bali Hai in the distance. Be sure to get a reservation just prior to sunset and bring your camera.

The Beach House, Poipu. Beautiful setting right on the beach with amazing sunsets served nightly.

Tidepools, at the Hyatt in Poipu. Pretty amazing to see the fish swimming right below your feet with all the trappings of a pristine tropical setting.

Duke's at the Marriott Beach Club in Lihue. An iconic restaurant, great food, friendly service. A fun and memorable dining experience.
 

rfc0001

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I also recommend Duke's in Lihue (which is really down the hill from Marriott, so easier to park at the public beach parking and walk there). That's a decent beach BTW when the ocean is a bit rough everywhere else, but not very picturesque since it overlooks the port. Duke's has a great salad bar and great fresh fish.

Another Kauai recommendation is Roy's in Poipu. Roy's has great Prix Fixe menu (appetizers combo platter, entree - including fresh fish option, and dessert - including lava cake for dessert), and great kids meals (quesadilla/fruit appetizer, entree - including fresh fish option, and desert).
 

Luanne

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I keep seeing Roy's mentioned, both on Kauai and the Big Island. My two cents about Roy's on the Big Island. It's in a shopping center. There is a view of the "lake", but it's nowhere near the atmosphere of one of the restaurants that is outside on the coast. Food is good, portions small, very noisy. We felt, for the money, we'd prefer to go somewhere else.
 

Luanne

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The malasadas at Tex's are also very good.
Haven't been to Tex's yet, but the malasadas at the Punalu'u Bake Shop are pretty darn good as well. It makes a nice stop if you are driving to Volcano National Park.

https://www.bakeshophawaii.com/

Also, if you are staying in the Waikoloa Resort area and plan to eat in, check out the Island Gourmet in the Queen's Shops. They have some meats that are already marinaded and ready for the grill that are very good. And their poke is wonderful!
 

1Kflyerguy

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Also on the Big Island in the King's Shops at the Waikoloa Resort are two restaurants that have opened up since the last time we were there.

A-Bay Island Grill
Koa Table

The reviews are pretty good (better for Koa Table) and you might want to scope them out before you decide to eat there.

We went to Koa Table last month and enjoyed our dinner. The food and service were pretty good, not fantastic, but we would definitely go back. If your familiar with Kings Shops, This used to called Three Fat Pigs, but they rebooted it into a slightly different concept.

I wanted to try A-Bay Island Grill, but ran out of meals..... they seemed to be doing a decent business and have a nice patio.. but no view as they face the inside of the Kings Shops.
 

Luanne

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We went to Koa Table last month and enjoyed our dinner. The food and service were pretty good, not fantastic, but we would definitely go back. If your familiar with Kings Shops, This used to called Three Fat Pigs, but they rebooted it into a slightly different concept.

I wanted to try A-Bay Island Grill, but ran out of meals..... they seemed to be doing a decent business and have a nice patio.. but no view as they face the inside of the Kings Shops.
Never tried Three Fat Pigs.

I thought from the map it looked like Koa Table was where Merriman's Market Cafe used to be. We enjoyed that restaurant a lot. What is in their space now? Is that A-Bay Grill?

We found it nice to have some selection in the Waikoloa Resort area outside of the hotels (which we found to be expensive).
 

1Kflyerguy

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Never tried Three Fat Pigs.

I thought from the map it looked like Koa Table was where Merriman's Market Cafe used to be. We enjoyed that restaurant a lot. What is in their space now? Is that A-Bay Grill?

We found it nice to have some selection in the Waikoloa Resort area outside of the hotels (which we found to be expensive).

Yes, pretty sure Merriman's Market Cafe became A-Bay grill. I agree its nice to find places to eat within the WBR. We also enjoyed Tropics Ale House, not sure how long that is been there, but it was new to us this trip. As you might guess based on the name, good selection of beer. Pretty reasonable prices too..
 

Luanne

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Yes, pretty sure Merriman's Market Cafe became A-Bay grill. I agree its nice to find places to eat within the WBR. We also enjoyed Tropics Ale House, not sure how long that is been there, but it was new to us this trip. As you might guess based on the name, good selection of beer. Pretty reasonable prices too..
I think we ate at Tropics Ale House a couple of times. The food was decent. As I recall the staff was great. For some reason I thought they weren't there any more, but it seems like they are still going strong.
 

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Nothing on Kauai beats the Beach House. Aside from the amazing sunsets, THOUSANDS of green parrots fly in every single night during the sunset and land in the trees around the restaurant. That in itself is a sight to behold.
 

bobpark56

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I'm surprised no one has mentioned Hamura's (for saimin), a real Kauai experience. I've heard that airline crew members will dead-head to Kauai just to get a chance to fill up on Hamura's saimin. It's not fancy, but we like it. [For an interesting saimin expense on Maui, give Sam Sato's a try, but get there early (well before noon) or you will have a wait.]
 

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A second on Hamura Saimin (and lilikoi pie). But our favorite restaurant on Kauai's south shore is La Spezia in Koloa - started by refugees from the closing of the much beloved Casablanca in Poipu Beach. Delicious Italian food and wine and great service and atmosphere. Just be forewarned that there is no A/C...so winter or late night reservations are in order.
 

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If you're in Koloa, stop by Makai Sushi for a Gorilla Bowl (wonderful Poke bowl). It's a tiny food stand inside an equally tiny market (Kukuiula Market) which is in an equally tiny strip mall between the roundabout and old Koloa Town. The strip mall has a little yellow submarine near the road. Kukuiula Market has WONDERFUL ground beef - makes the best burgers I have ever had. Parking is a nightmare.

In that same strip mall is a Mexican restaurant called Da Crack. Always busy. I find it to be so so, but for Hawaii - fantastic.
 
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