The food was typical Hawaiian luau fare, and plenty of it (chicken, pork, salads, desserts)…read more Drink policy is a little strange. You may only walk with one drink in hand, so getting a round for the table takes 8 trips. The good bartender made them all at once so I just had to pick them up, one at a time. No line standing for drinks 2 through 8. I got my steps in. The really aren't any bad seats. We paid a little extra for "premium" seating. That got us "ringside". Well worth it. Only negative was the heat. Fans didn't come on until after the fire dancer. Maybe that was a safety thing for the performers, but the fans could have been on before the fire act (I think). Some of the older customers from cold states were having heat issues. Being from Florida, we were fine. Would we do this again, yeah I think so.

Mixed bag here. I thought the food was good, not great. Just good. The desserts were just ok…read more But I thought the show was excellent. This is my first lu'au even though I live in Hawaii. I was impressed. I thought the performers were awesome, especially the fire dancers. Just really awesome and the dancers were enthusiastic which made for a better performance. I thought the audio was a bit off. The volume was crazy loud to fill the huge tent but it was hard to hear the individual voices of the narrators. So maybe something to boost the midrange a bit in the balance of the sound system or whatever. I'm not a sound engineer. So if you're visiting Kauai and are looking for a lu'au, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Kalamaku. I think you'll have a good time.

We've been coming to Kauai for years and have dined at many of the island's best restaurants, but…read moreMerriman's is still our absolute favorite. In our opinion, it has the best food on the island. Every meal is beautifully prepared, incredibly fresh, and consistently outstanding, which is why it's a must-visit every time we're here...actually we come multiple times.  One of the biggest reasons we return is Mandy. She is, without question, the best bartender on Kauai. Her cocktails are exceptional and, more importantly, remarkably consistent. Whether it's our first visit of the trip or our last, every drink is perfectly crafted and tastes exactly the way it should. That level of consistency is rare and speaks to the pride she takes in her work. Beyond making amazing drinks, Mandy has a genuine warmth and aloha spirit that makes every guest feel welcome. She's friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, and somehow always seems to know exactly what you need before you have to ask. She remembers her guests, offers wonderful recommendations, and makes every visit feel special. Outstanding food is what first brought us to Merriman's, but Mandy is one of the biggest reasons we come back year after year. She is an incredible ambassador for Merriman's and a true asset to the team. Mahalo, Mandy! We can't wait to see you again on our next trip to Kauai. Simon and Heather

I'm being a bit harsh with the 3 star rating (this is probably more like 3.5), but this restaurant…read morefell short of my expectations. Of all the fine dining experiences we had in Kauai and Maui, my wife rated this as her least liked. The service and ambience are both good, and the food is prepared well, but the menu is just... boring. For the prices we are paying, nothing really stood out on flavor or creativity. I want to emphasize that everything was prepared well, and you won't have a bad experience... I just expected more from a restaurant with this reputation.

I hate to say anything unkind about an establishment that's clearly a long time staple and the…read moreepitome of the perfect dive bar, so I'll say it like this - go here if you want to hear some (local) live music, have a drink, chill with the locals. This is a locals' spot- everyone knows everyone, everyone's kind and welcoming. The staff have been there forever and are great. But don't come here for dinner. This was our mistake. There were two other Hawaiian bbq type places we tried to go to and both were unexpectedly closed so we ended up here and were so disappointed. I had the saltiest burger I've ever tasted and could not finish it. My husband got the surf and turf and said it lacked flavor. We should have known better as we walked in the door but our deep hunger won the battle and we stayed. And got what we deserved. Sorry. Again, come for some local music and drinks - leave the food.

This place was walking distance to our bungalow so we came for the evening music. It's a rustic…read morecomfortable atmosphere. Folks are friendly. Not a fan of the policy they have not providing ice for our byob. It was difficult even getting ice for our water. Everyone in the party ordered a full meal. Food was fair. I had ono my hubby had nachos. Fish was perfectly grilled, rice was cold and a simple salad and slice of bread. All good for me. Entertainment was fab! Sang fun songs and get the crowd involved. We will be back but mainly for the entertainment.

Ambiance is gorgeous, 5 stars Service was great but food 1…read morestar. Catch of the day was swordfish supposedly caught fresh that day but the texture & color was so off it tasted at best previously frozen for $50 it was mehhh at best. Ceviche was so so. Definitely wouldn't order again. Mezcal cocktail on menu was okay ... wouldn't order another round. Overall, would not go back. I kinda felt scammed & felt treated like "dumb tourist" by a used car salesman. Far better restaurants to visit ...

Went here for one fancy occasion. Had one nice server, his name start wit T, Taylor or someting. He…read morewas super nice and informative, no make me tink too hard. Told me what was good and where everyting came from. Vibes were chill, can look out at da water, locally sourced food. Only issue is da pricing feel like it's for tourists, and it wasn't da best food I ever had. For da prices, us locals kinda expect little discount, but whateva. Still, go here ova da odda restaurants, but save um for special occasion only.

The prices were a lot higher than they were a few years ago and the Mia Tia's were smaller. Food…read moreservice was fast. I think a Mia Tia was $8 during Happy Hour and now it is $14.

We had a wonderful dinner here this week. Server was fun…read moreand personable. God sat right away, while the wait at Tahiti Nut was over an hour. We got the Seared Ahi appetizer with a sesame crust. De-lish-ious! We got the Kahlua Pork Sandwich and the Mahi Mahi dish with crab, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and a drizzle of hollandaise sauce. For bevvies, we got the Mai Tai and the Rum Colada.

We had happy hour here during our stay at the Kauai Beach Resort, mostly because we were on our…read morelast night there and we didn't have a car. My husband and I split the fish dish, which was delicious, and the kids both had the chicken fingers which they enjoyed. I felt The drink options on the happy hour menu were pretty limited. I expected there to be more of a difference between the prices on their regular menu and the happy hour menu. When our server brought the bill, she didn't ring up the happy hour prices, so we had to remind her of that, and it was only a difference of three dollars. It's a pretty restaurant, but they just started construction when we visited at the beginning of October '25, and the only way back into the hotel from the pool was through this restaurant which was kind of weird. Overall, good food and a decent place to eat if you're staying at the hotel, but it wouldn't be my first choice restaurant.

The service was great. It has a very open feeling and it's relaxing to dine here. The Kaua'i onion…read moresoup was so good we had to go back a second night. We enjoyed everything we had there and it made our first night in Kauai very special. We also had breakfast there the last day and it was amazing. All the staff was great. At night they have live music and it was great as well.

Best fish I have ever experienced!!! (Macadamia encrusted sea bass)…read moreStaff is friendly and attentive. Beautiful restaurant inside as well as outside garden seating. Returned two days later and enjoyed the same exceptional experience!! Mahalo

I come to Kauai a ton... I have my Haoli card. This place is irregular, hours posted mean nothing,…read moremight be open, might be closed...maybe that's just for me! ‍‍‍ I can't comment on the actual food or service because they won't let me in the place If you want to drink beer and have a bite at happy hour time please please please find a place that's "open"

Tiki Iniki was a fun, flavorful stop with exactly the kind of island/tiki atmosphere we were hoping…read morefor. I ordered the Teriyaki Burger with fries and a Lava Flow, and both really hit the spot. The burger had a great sweet-and-savory balance from the teriyaki glaze, pineapple, slaw, and shoyu mayo. It was messy in the best way, with plenty of flavor, and the fries were a solid side. The Lava Flow was also a highlight: tropical, creamy, fruity, and very photogenic. It felt like the perfect vacation drink. Overall, Tiki Iniki is a good pick if you want a casual meal, fun drinks, and a lively tiki-bar vibe. I'd definitely recommend stopping in for a Lava Flow and a burger.

It's such a shame, because my wife and I love trying tiki bars whenever we go to a new place, but…read moreTiki Iniki just feels like no one cares. At all. Service is slow. Slooooowwwww. Slow. The worst mai tai I have ever had. My god. Ordered the "top shelf" Mai tai, and it was absolutely brutal. First, it wasn't shaken OR stirred. What does this mean? It was served one ingredient on top of the next, room temperature, and tasted like a hot mess. We actually felt sick from it. The amount of syrup this bartender used was crazy. She's either not tasting her drinks, or has just fried her taste buds doing god knows what over the years. Please, for your customer's sake, train the bartenders.