We ate here at the downstairs bar 5 years ago during Covid. Now we are back with a reservation in the upstairs celebrating our anniversary. We did the picture in front of the huge surfboard to start. We were seated with a view of the bay. Waitstaff was very nice. Keep in mind the front desk is on the opposite side of the restaurant as the bay. We started with ahi sashimi which has become standard at all the restaurants we eat at in Hawaii. LOL. My wife ordered the ahi tuna tacos. I ordered the coconut ginger braised seafood. It has multiple types of fresh fish of the day with lobster. The sauce is just perfect. Filling and flavorful. In the end they gave the hula pie for free for our anniversary. So kind! The twisted version was a mango sorbet. We missed the twisted version with the cookie dough. We ordered the original. Damn it was good. How can you go wrong with hot fudge and ice cream! read more

Duke's Kauai - Ahi sashimi - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Food 9/10 I had the fish and chips and it was amazing! Service 9/10 Our server was amazing! Ambiance 8/10 We were seated in their downstairs dining area but had an amazing view of the water. read more

Duke's Kauai - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Perfect anniversary dinner! My husband I had dinner tonight at Duke's. Absolutely amazing from beginning to end. The staff were incredible! They made recommendations when we asked, from drinks to our dinner selection. We had a fantastic view of the water. My drink was the Lava Flow, I had macadamia nut crusted swordfish that was seasoned perfectly also had the salad bar and of course the Hula Pie and coffee. Everything and everyone was perfect. They even had a note on our table wishing us a happy anniversary when we arrived. Thank you so much for helping us celebrate 43 years. read more

I really like Duke's series of restaurants, and have thought all the ones in California have been excellent, clear five stars in terms of service, food, and especially value. It was strange then that the first one we visited on the Islands was my least favorite. There are six Duke's now, 3 on the mainland (Huntington Beach, Malibu, La Jolla) and 3 on the Islands (Waikiki, Maui, and this original one in Kauai). They specialize in Hawaiian cuisine, feeding into its history of mixing Polynesian and Asian food cultures, which I adore. This location is in the Royal Sonesta/Marriott Vacation Club complex that we were staying in, and is the original Duke's location, founded in 1989 to honor the legendary Hawaiian swimmer and surfer. We stayed at this hotel more than 20 years ago, so very possible that we had eaten here before, but have no memory of it. The main level is open only for dinner and has the entrance at the hotel level, thus is how we entered. Downstairs is the Barefoot Bar, a more casual atmosphere overlooking the beach walk of Kalapaki Beach, attracting mostly folks from other places. We knew that we would get a discounted dessert because we were staying at the resort, providing another reason to come. The hostess took our phone number, and texted us within 10 minutes that our table was ready. It was crowded inside, but there were enough servers to provide good service throughout, with our water glasses being kept full. We had a clear view of the beach, and watched a beach volleyball game/training session happening. We kept commenting how good the players were. The entrees came to our table in a reasonable time: Kalbi Ribs & Chicken ($27) - We've gotten this dish before, though usually baby back ribs are paired with the chicken. In our case, two meaty slabs of LA-style short ribs were provided and I really liked the marinade. The teriyaki chicken thighs were quite good too. It came with an OK kimchi, but very mediocre macaroni salad, and gummy (i.e. bad) white rice. Sauteed Fish Bar ($31) - This was the fish of the day, prepared with a macadamia crust. It was Opah this day, and it tasted fine. The problem was the portion: it was disappointingly small and thin. It came with the same bland mac salad and bad steamed rice. Hula Pie (reduced from $15 to $5 for staying at Marriott Vacation Club) - We get this every time, including non-Duke places (e.g. Hula Grill in Maui). It was a big a piece as expected, more than enough to share for two, coming with two sporks. There were plenty of rich chocolate sauce, a good chocolate crumb crust, and chopped macadamia nuts. But the whipped cream tasted more like Cool Whip, and surprisingly, the vanilla ice cream was of lower (non-premium) quality...very solid but not very creamy...would have not eaten it by itself, but the additional toppings made it a good dessert, just not as great as I've had before. Payment is handled at the table, with receipt coming digitally. By the time we started to leave around 18:30, the lower level was clearing out a bit. Assuming that the upstairs would become busier for more formal dinners. read more

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Decent food but not amazing. We did lunch downstairs one day and it was just ok. However the lemonade was fantastic! We also did the brunch which runs $50 a person but includes Prime Rib. For the price you pay, you can get plenty of food. If I recommend anything it would only be the brunch! read more

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I have been to Dukes many times. And every time I start walking / driving to the restaurant I question whether I am being too much of a tourist by going to the restaurant. And each time, I don't regret my decision by the end of the meal. This time I visited to Kauai location of Dukes for the first time and enjoyed a last meal before I headed home to the brutal cold in Minnesota. I started with the legendary Duke's Mai Tai which consists of Two Types of Rum, Fresh Hawaiian Juices, and of course a little bit of Aloha. For my main, I went with the Furikake Ahi Steak. It was a beautifully Seared Sashimi Grade Ahi Tuna (I got it Rare of course), Chili Oil, Truffle Unagi, Peanut Oil, Shiitake Mushrooms, Black Bean Bok Choy, Coconut Lychee Rice, and Cucumber Namasu. We had to get dessert of course. Initially we were thinking of going with their original Hula Pie, but were sold on the Twisted version by the waiter. It was a Peanut Butter take on their original. So instead of the Macadamia Nut Ice Cream there was Peanut Butter Ice Cream, but you still got the hot fudge and whipped cream. ____ read more

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Very good service. Beautiful views. Fish and chips and pork sandwich are both worth ordering again. Fish is a bit meatier and quite yummy. The pork is super moist and tender. Sides are good. The Kalapaki mai tai was just okay. Wouldn't get it again. read more

Duke's Kauai - Kalapaki Mai Tai - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

On our first day visiting Kauai, we stopped by Duke's Kauai for dinner. No reservations needed, but needed to wait about 15 or 20 minutes to be seated. It's a nice area, a little bit touristy, but it's located right by the water, so the view is beautiful. Good menu selection with nice choice of fresh fish. We got the fish and chips (swordfish) that comes with fries, fish tacos (ahi) with tortilla chips, children's crispy chicken tenders, and Duke's burger. It's nice that they have an option to substitute the bun to a gluten-free bun for the burger! Burger and crispy chicken tenders both come with french fries. Fish was well cooked, not overcooked and was moist, but was under seasoned. It's like they lost the salt shaker. Fries were good, I wished my fish tacos came with a french fries rather than the tortilla chips which were uneventful and stale. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly, checked on us several times, and of course the view of the beach was spectacular. Food 3.5 stars, service 5 stars. read more

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Great location on The beach near Lihue Harbor and the Marriott Beach Hotel, with a good place to swim or surf in Nawili'wili Bay in Kauai. I love the open air restaurant and location right on the beach. Dukes is a chain restaurant that has solid drinks and a similar menu at all of their locations. The food is good, but nothing to write home about. This is a great place to grab a burger and beer. read more

I feel like Duke's is a classic around the islands, and usually gets hyped up, only to be let down. But I will say our experience yesterday was better than expected. Menu is on the smaller side, which I think helps with quality. Our two year old gobbled down a cheeseburger which she never does, so that was great. My drink was tasty, though I don't think there was much, if any alcohol in there. Both my husband and I were satisfied with our meals. I got the fish tacos and added guac on top, and subbed fries for the chips. I was full with the one taco. My husband got the fish and chips which was made with Mahi Mahi. Not too much breading which is nice. The tartar sauce was great! Hula pie was just a big chunk of ice cream, which we were glad we split one piece between 3 adults and a 2 year old. Service I will say was great. Sat down quickly, staff was attentive, and they were able to split checks without any issues. read more

Duke's Kauai - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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Celebrated my 50th Birthday here and made a 7:30 reservation ahead of our trip to Kauai because we had a party of 20 and this is a place that can accommodate this size group on the island. It didn't seem too busy and we waited about 20 minutes to be seated. When we were shown to our seats it was two tables set up for ten each. A little disappointed we weren't set up to be seated together especially with the size of the space and it not being busy. I just feel enough thought wasn't put into making sure we were all together to celebrate this occasion. You don't get another try at things like this. read more

We started with the crap wontons. My wife and I are sharing fish and chips plus an amazing Hawaii drink that comes with a coconut you take home with you. This is a Military friendly restaurant. This is right on beach and a very nice place. read more

After spending the day at the beach, we got a little hungry. It was a no-brainer, we went to Duke's. The wait wasn't too long and it gave us time to check out the merchandise. I found a nice soft T-shirt that I was happy to take back home. We were fortunate to sit up front with the beautiful view of the beach and ocean. Both my wife and I ordered the fish and chips and were delighted with the freshness and flavorful meal. There was a really nice batter on the fish and they were paired nicely with delicious french fries. We had a few refills of Diet Coke to keep hydrated before going back to the beach. Great service, great food, great views, and great times at Dukes! read more

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It's a fun vibe and open all day so easy to pop into for a super early dinner when other places are closed. The drinks are definitely heavier pours (stronger then I prefer) but that's just my taste. The hula pie was delicious- and a huge portion! We also had the fries and rocket salad with swordfish and the salad was also large and well dressed. The servers are pleasant and efficient but the hostesses definitely seem to not love their job and huddle while maybe ignoring us waiting at the front. read more

Stopped by here for dinner before our red eye flight back to the mainland. We had reservations for 530 on a Wednesday. The place was half empty but it still took maybe 5-10 minutes to get seated. We asked to have an ocean front view but was told none were available even though there were some better seats open on an upper level. We did not ask for the seats and were too tired to complain. We got the ribs/chicken and salad bar. The food was OK. I'm not a fan of ketchup based huli huli and it prob would've been better with kalbi instead of pork bbq ribs. I guess this is American style. Overall, location is great but might try somewhere else next time. read more

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This is a great, open restaurant with such a cool, relaxing breeze. I brought my family here for dinner and we were in awe with the ocean breeze. We had to order cocktails with dinner and boy they were strong (definitely not complaining). The service was great, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was beautiful. I can't wait to bring my family here! read more

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I had dinner one night and went to the to go window the next day. The service was great and the restaurant has a wonderful view. Dinner: very expensive! The food all looked good. I got the stand alone salad bar for $29 plus tax and tip. You'd think they would put out chicken to go with it. Nope. To go window: I got the nachos and added chicken. $23 plus tax. Worth every penny. The nachos are huge and very filling. Luckily our hotel has a refrigerator and a microwave. I have eaten the nachos for 2 meals so far. They should add a little more black beans. I think I got 10 of them. Check what's in there in case you don't like olives or something else. read more

Duke's Kauai - To go nachos after 2 meals. - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

To sum it up: overpriced, mediocre food with a million-dollar view. You're definitely paying for the view -- not the meal. Our bill came out to around $190, and here's what we ordered: the teriyaki steak with an add-on of 3 shrimp, the coconut shrimp dinner (not listed on the menu -- you have to ask for it), sticky rib appetizer, two Mai Tais, two glasses of wine, and one salad bar. The shrimp was probably the highlight -- fresh and flavorful. The steak was bland, and while the ribs had good flavor, they were full of tiny bones that made them hard to eat. The salad bar was fine, but definitely not worth $27 as an entrée (especially since it's only a $9 add-on). The cocktails were weak and pretty watered down. The one redeeming factor was the service -- friendly, attentive, and efficient. The staff made sure our water glasses stayed full and checked in often. All in all, I won't be back. I probably would've been happier with a cheeseburger and a draft beer while enjoying that incredible view. read more

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Loved this place! Only a 15 minute walk from the cruise ship. It's such a gorgeous place on the ocean and the inside is amazing. Our server was Sean Michael and he was so kind and attentive. He also knew the menu well and was able to answer all of my questions. If you want to dine in with good menu, make a reservation upstairs. We had the ribs and calamari appetizer and the macadamia nut crusted sword fish, we chose the coconut lychee rice though. It was delicious! For desert we ordered the Hula pie, it was delicious, but full of calories. read more

So good! From the absolutely amazing salad bar, to the entrees (including a beyond burger as an option) to the famous hula pie. You can get the hula pie without nuts too! Our server, who we have had several times was very friendly and helpful! The views of the Kalapaki Beach and the entry into the Nawiliwili harbor are fantastic. Soak it in! We are always looking forward to our next meal at Duke's. read more

You ever been to Rainforest Cafe? Big, over decorated dining room that makes it look like an experience like no other; then you get the food and it's the same stuff they have at Applebee's. Now this place is way better than Rainforest Cafe. It was very good and I inhaled the steak. Not bad, not bad at all but my dinner was like any other dinner I can get at a Fox Concepts or any nice restaurant in Phoenix. I didn't find anything that made it unique or memorable and I felt like the high price was for the decorating in the dining room. The OTHER reason I had to knock off a star is because my girl has a severe seafood allergy and this place looked like an organized establishment that would be aware of a simple request to make sure no cross contamination would occur. Nope. She started to swell up and we had to get her some Benadryl and get out of there quick. Can't say I'll be back next year. read more

5/5 for our waiter here. He was super helpful and walked us through the menu. The famous salad bar was meh. My wife got some seafood combo plate that she really enjoyed. Like everyone else, we ordered the hula pie but "with a twist" meaning it's cookie dough ice cream. This thing was wild. It was probably 50% cookie dough. I don't know if ours was special, but it was a lot! read more

We were able to walk into the Barefoot Bar at Duke's Kauai after only about a 20-minute wait. We ordered the poke bowl, Caesar salad, and fish and chips -- everything was delicious! The atmosphere was amazing too, such a fun vibe and perfect spot to relax and enjoy the view. read more

We stopped by on our last night in Kauai at the recommendation of our Airbnb host, really hoping for a memorable final dinner. Unfortunately, it ended up being a big letdown. From the start, our server felt pretty indifferent and not welcoming at all. We ordered a Mai Tai, which tasted surprisingly weak, and like medicine. We also ordered the coconut shrimp to kick things off. The shrimp came out room temperature with a very basic sweet and sour sauce that tasted like something straight from a grocery store bottle. For mains, things didn't improve. The swordfish was plain, the Brussels sprouts were boiled and barely seasoned, and the rice was both bland and undercooked. The ribs were dry, and the chicken had that rubbery texture that's hard to overlook. The only real highlight was the view, which was beautiful. Beyond that, it was hard to understand the recommendation. Between the lackluster service and disappointing food, this is one we would skip next time. For about $150, it just didn't feel worth it. read more

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We visited Duke's Kauai while on vacation and it was a wonderful dining experience. Our party of five made a reservation in advance and valet parked nearby, which made arriving stress-free. After a short wait at check-in, the host seated us at a great table with a view of the ocean--a perfect backdrop for dinner. I ordered the coconut braised seafood along with the salad bar, and both were excellent. The entrée was flavorful and rich, while the salad bar had plenty of fresh options and even included desserts. Our server, Kelsey, was kind, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. Between the service, food, and atmosphere, it was a memorable night and a highlight of our trip. read more

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Friendly and welcoming service with an incredible view! Food is good and aligned with being in the complex of the Marriott beach club hotel. Recommend make an rsvp vs just walked in. read more

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Dukes Kauai is a restaurant that we have dinner at the day we arrive. The food is very good, and the service is excellent. What makes the experience at Duke's enjoyable was our server Shari. She was very friendly, and helpful. The salad bar is nice option to go with your meal. Ribs and chicken - 5/5 The ribs were very fall off the bone tender and tasty. The chicken was also tender, and very flavorful too. Marinated with the guava mango BBQ sauce gives you a wonderful BBQ flavor. Hula pie - 5/5 Enough to share for at least two individuals. Excellent chocolate cookie crust and Mac nut ice cream. A must for dessert to end your dining experience at Duke's We always enjoy our experience at Dukes. The views of Kalapaki beach and ocean can be seen anywhere you are seated. I highly recommend visiting Duke's for a nice casual dining experience. read more

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Update 2 years later - took the entire family here for dinner. Still excellent food and service! The entire family found things that were delicious on the menu and we (6 of us) shared 3 slices of hula pie and still struggled to finish them (huge!). You can't ask for better ambiance, right on the water, torches along the path, open window walls, fans on the ceiling. Wonderful! Our server was amazing and kept up with all of our needs. Definitely need to put Duke's on your list! read more

Great view of the ocean and top notch service. Comfortable seating for adults and kids. Food was excellent and the salad bar is well stocked with fresh ingredients. read more

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Duke's is always a good idea. There's several throughout the islands and others owned by the same company, all with Hula Pie as their common item, and similar vibes. We love this location because the view can't be beat. It's right on the beach and open air. There's also a giant waterfall connecting the upstairs and downstairs, so there's some tables near that too. The food is consistently good. I really enjoy the bbq pork sandwich, but over the course of our visits here we've tried most of the menu and it's all quality. This past visit I got a Caesar salad with Mahi Mahi, the dressing was delicious & my fish was cooked perfectly. This location has "Twisted Hula Pie" as part of their regular menu which basically means a fun flavor versus the standard macadamia nut one they have all the time. I tried a mocha one this time which has a super strong coffee flavor and was delicious. read more

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AVOID -- this place was a mistake! The service is not great, but the food is atrocious. The swordfish: bland, poorly cooked, tasted like tilapia. The rice was unseasoned. Brussel sprouts seemed to be boils and unsalted. The portion size was abysmal. The ribs and chicken: ribs were dry and burnt, small bone fragments in the gristle, the chicken was rubbery and comparable to Panda Express. The macaroni salad was overcooked and soggy. The "barbecue sauce" was basically ketchup. We ordered the coconut shrimp appetizer -- surprisingly tasty, but it was COLD. As if it had been sitting or a long time. The total for the meal was over $130 for two. I have no problem paying these prices, but for the quality of the food; TOTAL SCAM! Go ANYWHERE else! read more

Duke's Kauai - Sword fish and Chicken/ Ribs - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

5/10 Got the hot wings and ahi poke bowl. For my first meal in Hawaii I was a little disappointed. Hot wings were pretty good and they were saucy and fresh, but the poke bowl brought down my score so much. Ahi didn't taste too fresh and the portion size is small for $29. 5 is a mid or average on my scale as a heads up. read more

Best nachos and guacamole appetizer! Highly recommend! Tropical atmosphere right on the beach makes the setting so awesome! Cookie was our excellent server she was super friendly and caring about every detail of our order and she is so sweet when she clears the dishes and makes sure we had room at the table! We had a party of 13 and Cookie saw that every detail was carefully arranged perfectly! read more

Beer battered mahi mahi fish and chips. Amazing. Cole slaw was lite and crunchy and the fish was deliciously crunchy. Service super fast with a smile and I loved the "no shoes" restaurant sign. read more

Duke's Kauai - Fish and chips - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

tl;dr Come here for the ambience, not the food. Ambiance 5/5: eight at the barefoot bar and you can't go around with any seat. You either have a great view of the water or the inside Koi pond. Food 2/5: Burger and a Beer Wednesday ($28): no substitutions for the beers, including non-alcoholic drinks. Ordered the Kanak Attack and wasn't too impressed. The spam was very salty. Crab and macadamia nut wontons: Think of a crab Rangoon and you can get a good picture of what it tastes like. Rocket salad: Standard arugula salad. Nothing too special. read more

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I'm not sure how this place became a staple here unless the quality has just consistently gone down year after year. The ambience is great here and our waiter was awesome that's only reason for the 2 stars. The salad bar is also decent but the rest of the food is some of the worst I've ever had and not worth the price in the slightest. Would not recommend this place unless you're stopping in off the beach for a drink read more

Duke's Kauai - Prime rib - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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We had been to a Duke's in other locations so we were looking for more local. But, again this was all about convenience. However, I think this was the best Duke's experience to date. The view was beautiful. The property was awesome. It had a waterfall and multiple levels. We had a fish and lobster stew. Fantastic. And then the salad bar. It was good. Our servicer was very kind and attentive. We were both surprised with a piece of the Hula pie to celebrate my husband. Fantastic! read more

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Came here after flying into Hawaii. It is a big place, so could accommodate bigger parties. Food was average. Super pricey. But Hawaii is known for that , so don't be shocked on prices. Service was 5/5. read more

Duke's Kauai - Calamari - Steakhouses Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

The service was very friendly and quick. The young lady was very helpful. The setting was absolutely beautiful on the water, the chairs were serviceable if not somewhat uncomfortable, but well worth it. The food was consistent. Lychee martini was very good. The nachos were tasty, especially with the Kahlúa pig. And the hula pie was to die for. I've never seen such a big piece of ice cream cake for one person in my life. read more

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An amazing experience all around! First, we had to clear up some confusion, upstairs is a more upscale dining experience while downstairs is more of a bar experience. We opted for the upstairs option. Once we got upstairs, the view was fantastic! Our server Brittney was remarkable, extremely friendly and helpful. The drinks were good, and we opted for the salad bar instead of any of their apps. The salad bar was well stocked and everything seemed fresh. The entrees were all we could've hoped for and more! I had the Sauteed Mac Nut & Herb Crushed Fresh Fish, which was mahi mahi at the time. Each bite was fantastic, and the rice and carrots were a great compliment. All around great food and great service! read more

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