tldr: make a reservation before if you are a party larger than 4; decent ramen and one of the only places on north side that is good, but slightly expensive Four stars purely because the hostess was so gracious to help seat us (party of 10) when this place had reservations sold out for the next couple of weeks. Else, the food would be rated 3 stars since nothing too special, and a bit expensive, but not really any other ramen places nearby. We came exactly at 4:30 and had to wait until about 5 to put our name on the waitlist since we hadn't made a reservation before coming on our trip. The ramen came pretty fast and the broth was delicious, tasted a bit different than meat broth, kind of tasted more vegetables/mushroom like. The pickled mushrooms provided perfect acidity for the ramen. There was a decent amount of noodles, maybe a bit more would have been nice. The ahi tuna was honestly delicious, so soft and delicious. The drinks were not bad, typical cocktails. read more

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We spent our last night on the island here and I was looking forward to it all week. It didn't disappoint! I made a reservation but we got there early and were able to be seated in advance of our reservation which was what we were hopeful for and it worked out. The location has an open air experience in most of the restaurant. I didn't try to go inside but there was an inside. The patio is huge though and looks out over a pretty garden. I love a good Asian fusion spot and this hit the spot! We ordered baos, chicken skewer and the mushroom bowl to share. Everything was delicious. It's silly but I loved the water bottles at all the tables were slightly different. Nice touch to the overall ambiance. Overall, great spot. Easy, approachable food. Can be dressed up if you want to make a night of it or come in relaxed, it all works. read more

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The view is beautiful, but it doesn't make up for the very poor service. We had reservations and ended up waiting for 15 minutes for a table. A walk-in party the same size as ours was seated before us. Once seated, it took a very long time for anyone to begin the service, although there were numerous wait staff. It turns out that they ran out of chicken in the middle of the dinner shift, which impacted 3 of the 4 people at our table, because they use the same chicken in more than two dishes. No one came around to refill waters or refresh our drinks the entire time we were there. read more

Beautiful location, the food is outstanding. A dinner experience not to be missed. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful.

F A N T A S T I C Planned an evening at AMA for when our adult children were on island to visit for Christmas break. It was our first time - and some of the recent reviews made me a bit worried. After an amazing evening - I cannot comprehend the negative reviews. We all loved everything about our evening at AMA. Location is stunning - open air in Hanalei with stunning views of the mountains. Seated quickly by very nice staff. Started with beverages: AMA P.O.G. Mocktail, sake and Magic Dragon (daughter loved it). All were very good and we would order again. Appetizers "Zensai": Bao Buns (very tastiness inside a delicious bun) and Poke. We have lived in island for a few years and my wife and I were shocked that this may be the best poke we have had! Main Courses: "Donburi" - my wife ordered the Ono Miso Bowl and said she would order it again. "Noodles" - both of my kids enjoyed the Chashu Ramen. My son added the spicy miso and really liked it. I had the Braised Beef Laksa on the recommendation of our server - it was excellent. Great flavor and spiciness when I mixed in the side of sauce that came with it. Our server was excellent - attentive, helpful and kind without being intrusive. Our son stated that he would like to return to AMA whenever he is on island for a visit. Pretty high praise as he is from Seattle and enjoys many top ramen/noodle spots at home. Already looking forward to another meal at AMA - many more dishes that we would love to try. read more

The Ramen was amazing but the prices of this place did not make sense to us. One little skewer was $22 and then the whole bowl of ramen was $26. The skewer should've been more reasonably priced. Also was our anniversary dinner and they didn't provide us with anything complimentary even after requesting it. Ambiance is really nice tho, views of the mountain. Outdoor low key spot. read more

Ama - Chicken ramen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

Great place with outdoor dining. Service was excellent. Recommend making reservations. Food was good as well as their drinks.

The noodles at this spot are phenomenal! The broth in which they come with is so flavorful and all the toppings compliment each other very well. The soft boiled egg was cooked to perfection. read more

Ama - Top: Grilled ono ramen Bottom: Chicken satay donburi - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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Yummy food and beautiful outdoor space. My first time having ramen. My bf said his ramen was okay. My son got chicken satay w side of rice read more

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Everything is delicious except the Ramen. My kids liked the ramen but it's quite plain. The views are gorgeous. Service was decent- I had a peppery drink- not a fan- very peppery. Bao buns were amazing Salad amazing Everything so fresh read more

Tasty Ahi bowl and Brussel sprouts. Located in a nice outside area. The service was outstanding and they took great care of all our needs. read more

Nice setting and good food. We enjoyed the papaya salad, two mocktails and two different ramens. Very nice broth.

Great location and views. That's the good part. Now the rest. . .we went on a Wednesday evening at 6:30 pm. It was 75 minutes before we were served our food. . .which is not necessarily a bad thing considering the awesome views. However, we watched tables that arrived 10-20 minutes after us get their food before us. And then we were told they ran out of rice. . .at an Asian fusion restaurant. How is that possible? It would be like going to a bakery and being told they had no flour to make bread. The resulting modification by the restaurant was to give us noodles instead. But, they messed up my son's order and my wife's order was barely palatable. Great views but really bad food and service. At least we will have a great story to remember for years to come. . .when an Asian fusion restaurant did not have rice:) read more

Really well-cooked chashu on the ramen, but only the natural flavor. Using bone broth so broth not that tasty, esp versus tonkatsu (not offered). Perfectly prepared noodles, big plus. Delish papaya/daikon/greens salad. Service was good. Drinks had a good selection. read more

Delicious ramen - the noodles had amazing texture. We loved the papaya salad and the cocktails we tried as well. Beautiful view. No complaints. Must try. read more

Ama was very tasty , serving creative, beautifully prepared takes on a variety of Asian dishes service was fast & friendly read more

One of the best meals we had while on the island! Started off with the buns (my fav!) along with the papaya salad, different than we expected but good- very fresh option with a little spice :) Cocktails we had the Francisco and the Magic Dragon, both great and my husband even said the Francisco was one of the best cocktails he's ever had! (That's saying a lot) The ramen we chose were the ahi tuna ramen (added kimchi - which had a pineapple flavor to it, so yum) And then I had the pork belly ramen which I loved so much! read more

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Sadly, truly mediocre. Have tried to get into this place for weeks based in reviews. I had the Ahi Ramen, my companion had the veggie ramen (with tofu). Service barely adequate. We were served pretty quickly but the mai tais were quite watery and slightly bitter. Not good. Sake good but served cold (a first for me). Both ramen dishes were nearly tasteless and honestly my ahi might have been a little off (tasted fishy). All in all, pretty much a waste of $142. Will not be back and would advise you to skip this. Two stars because the ambiance was pleasant. I really don't know where the great reviews are coming from? Limited experience with "high end" dining perhaps? read more

Is this the best ramen you'll every had? The answer is no. But boy does it come with one of the most beautiful views. I mean a beautiful Kauai mountain range with a beautiful waterfall. How can you not go wrong. All in all a great dinner experience. Food was great and fresh, service was on par and loved the drinks. I'm giving this a 4 1/2 stars. read more

Ama - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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Love this restaurants we go everytime we are on the island. Best mai tai and noodles Love the setting as well read more

I didn't have high expectations for this place and it didn't surprise me. $26 for Seared Ahi Ramen. You get kamaboko (fish cake), green onions, cabbage, egg noodles and 4 pieces of ahi, and an egg. Broth is bone broth so very healthy and light compared to normal ramen broth base which is oily. It lacked a lot of flavor. We ordered their PB coconut pie. Tasted more coconut-y than PB. Our server gave us chocolate fudge to go which was a nice topping on top of the fudge that was already on it. Ambiance was on point though. Lots of flies since it's outside. We waited 20+ min as walk ins, 2 people in our party, came on a Saturday evening around 6:30pm. I would rather go to Kauai Ramen in Eleele and pay $10 for ramen. read more

Ama - Outdoor seating - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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The view of the mountains & waterfalls after it rained was so beautiful. The ramen was okay & the cocktails were way over priced. Service was great. read more

We were walking around the shopping area when we stumbled upon this restaurant with this stunning view of the mountains and decided we had to eat here. Pictures don't do it justice. We were pleasantly surprised that it was ramen which is my favorite! Overall the bone broth ramens were all good but the Ono Laksa ramen was phenomenal! I don't typically like fish but this fish was perfect. It did not have a fishy taste at all (which is what I don't like about most fish) and the broth was one of the best ramen broths I have ever had. It has a lovely coconut flavor with the perfect amount of spicy kick to it that wasn't too overpowering. It looks like they may switch their menu up some times but if this one is on the menu I highly recommend it! read more

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Prices! The three tiny bites of chicken they put on a skewer on top of my noodles was unacceptable. We spent $50-60 per person and we were still hungry afterwards. We are not huge, American eaters. We appreciate fine dining and flavor. This was just something different. Do not go here in a budget and don't go there expecting to eat much. read more

Ama - Scenery at AMA is spectacular! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

Solid ramen with great location. Dessert was a lacking and sprouts were burnt but we will definitely go back.

Service, not so good. She appeared very hungover and confused over where the bathroom was. Ramen, good. The ahi was fishy. Dessert, saved the show. read more

The food and service were amazing! We enjoyed it so much we continue to go back every time we are in the area. read more

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Quick stop during my vacation in PrinceVille and I can confidently say worst ramen I've ever had. I tried so hard to finish and enjoy it and it was just so bland and lackluster. The flavor profile was very very dull which left me very disappointed. The night started off great with the appetizers. The Brussels sprouts were delicious, perfect roast and rich garlic and Smokey notes. The Bao Buns as well accompanied with a fantastic peanut sweet sauce and very soft buns. If you've ever been to any real authentic Ramen restaurant please do yourself the favor of not coming here. On the bright side the staff were very friendly and polite. Restaurant as well had a beautiful view felt very welcoming and comforting. read more

The first time we went a few years ago, it was amazing, the menu was more extensive and we really liked everything we ordered. The ambiance and location are great. However this time the menu was a lot smaller than we remembered and the ramen was just ok. I would say three stars but the service and ambiance bumped it to a 4. The reason we went is also because they have gluten free noodles and soy sauce which is a huge deal for us. However, my son was sick for two days after eating here so the gluten control might not be very strict. The pickled mushrooms made my stomach hurt and the flavor of the broth was good but not great. We also got bitten by mosquitoes so if it's getting dark, do not sit in grass area. Lastly, ask for your drink with light ice because the first one they served me (the Brazilian lemonade) was delicious but it was a small glass of all ice. Thankfully the staff was kind and brought me more. read more

Ama - Patio area - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

Don't miss Ama while on the island of Kauai! If you can't reserve (but you should try) then get there at 4:45 and put your name on the list - more than likely you will be lucky enough to get a seat. Lala is an amazing chef and a great tennis player as well!! She is welcoming and lovely and her food, the service and the specialty bar is above and beyond. We loved everything we ordered - the tastes ( a multitude of delicate seasonings that blended so well together) , the presentation and the end results were wonderful. Not to be missed. read more

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All was perfect except the additional service charge for workers health insurance. That was added to the ticket . Which is weird . I haven't seen that before read more

Incredible views, delicious food and quick friendly servers. We had an unforgettable meal here and can't wait to return. The ramen was some of the best we've had and we love ramen read more

Went here for our last dinner in Kauai and had a great time. They have a lot of fun cocktails and they really like using their foam which is delicious with the perfect texture. The servers were super helpful talking through the drinks and what to expect. The ramen with ahi was a new twist that we loved. It was cooked perfectly and it meshed with the broth so well. They have a cute fire you can enjoy your drinks by after the meal which was awesome. Also some thatched roof tables for if it rains although the weather was perfect for us. read more

Ama - Kula Mala - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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Huge letdown. I figured this ramen would blow my mind. Not sure what the hype is but the ramen here wasn't really that good. We ordered a rice dish as well, the chicken and rice was cold...almost like they pulled a previously cooked dish from a fridge. I sent it back and they gave us another cold dish. So strange. I asked if it was meant to be cold and the server said "no" but they managed to do it twice. Didn't bother to finish either dish, it was that type of meal. The atmosphere was fine, great view. Service was mid. read more

I used to love this place, but the menu has reduced to about a third of what it used to be. The only starter available now is the green papaya salad, and the other options are Ramen or rice bowls. Would love to see some of the delicious Asian cuisine that was previously featured return. read more

We had high hopes given the rave reviews but we found ourselves disappointed by the ramen- was not super flavorful and we had to add a lot of the ramen sides to it to make it taste more interesting, would rate it 3/5 at most. Buns were 4/5. Ambiance however was incredible with beautiful views. If you can mitigate your expectations for mind blowing ramen, definitely worth checking out at least for a beautiful place to eat read more

Oh ama so sweetly delicious and lovely spot. Thanks for making real food. We felt so good after our nice dinner.

Ambiance was amazing. The views from the patio are beautiful of the mountains. There is a nice shade to cover the entire patio from any rain. The brussel sprouts are the best I've ever had. They're so flavorful and delicious. The chashu ramen broth was homemade and you can definitely tell. We enjoyed the Korean bowl which had fresh flavors. Everything stood out as flavorful and well-made to us. The service was excellent as well. Our server was very attentive to our needs throughout our meal. read more

Ama - Chashu ramen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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If you are looking for classy food in a casual atmosphere with epic views in the north shore of Kauai, this is the place for you. Better to make reservations in advance. After a day of exploring the north shore, we got here for our 5 pm reservation. We were ravenous, and ordered everything possibly veggie on the menu. We started with the mostly beautiful, picturesque cocktails. We had the alahambra , Woodsman and hola Hoki. They were so well made. Not very huge, but just right to get you tipsy. We got green papaya salad, Burmese salad and Brussels sprouts to start with. We requested for the bao buns to be made vegetarian. They subbed mushrooms instead of the pork and it was delicious! The salad were too good also and we polished our plates in no time. The Brussels sprouts were nicely charred and I haven't eaten a better one elsewhere. For the main course we got the veggie ramen one with spicy miso broth and the other with the green curry broth. The green curry broth has shrimp paste in it though. We were stuffed and passed on the dessert. Service was very quick and our waiter was very friendly. Since we mentioned we like spicy food, he brought us a plate of different spicy sauces to add to our ramen. We enjoyed all of them. They even have a fire pit where you can hang out with a drink when you are done eating. With mountains towering on one side and the lush greenery, it kind of feels peaceful and serene sitting at the table outside. Make this a definite stop if you are visiting g north shore! read more

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Terrific meal. All the food was so fresh and the beautiful location an added bonus. We loved the bao rolls and the sake was reminiscent of what you drink in Japan read more