Quiet when we arrived and wasn't sure what to expect. The crew was very polite and attentive, helped answer me u questions. I must say, the food was fantastic! The pico, Guac, enchiladas (LOVED the sauce) and a huge Carnitas Burrito did NOT disappoint. Would recommend this place 100% Avoid the fast food and check out this quant family restaurant that takes pride in their cooking!! read more

My parents and I really LOVED this restaurant! I love the decorations in the restaurant and that they were showing Jurassic Park on the TV. The music was also a nice touch. We ordered shrimp tacos, carne asada, and ceviche! All these dishes were so goooood! We loved the beans and the rice that came along with these dishes. The staff were friendly and attentive! It was so delicious and flavorful!!! We ate here twice because we really enjoyed the food and our experience at this restaurant! We did not take any pictures of the food because we ate it up real quick LOL :) read more

I had just gotten back from a wedding event. Needed food quick fast and in a hurry. Just ran up on this place. Wow a nice score. The best octopus dish I've had so far. The service was wonderful The portion sive was good. I will have to visit again. read more

See all

My friend told me I absolutely had to try this place and I'm sad to say it was very disappointing. The place was empty and just had an overall feeling of dread/awkwardness the whole time I was there and it felt like the server was rushing me. I ended up just getting 2 shrimp tacos and they were bland and lukewarm. The dish was soo wet that my tortillas fell apart immediately. Charging $7 a taco is ridiculous in itself, but especially for the quality I received. There should at least be rice and/or beans for that price. read more

See all

Super fresh, delicious seafood with authentic Mexican flavor. Everything was so tasty and satisfying. A must-try if you love good seafood! read more

See all

My boyfriend grew up in Kauai and always complained about the lack of good Mexican Food. This past visit we visited El Rey Del Mar, not once but twice during our trip. It's a plus that they have lots of seafood dishes, fresh fish, marlin, soft shell crab, mariscos, grilled octopus, crab and ceviches. Between both visits, we tried a lot of dishes. We had the ceviche, fish tacos, seafood burrito, the Chile Relleno plate, a baked fish entrée and the kids quesadilla with fries. Both times, the place seemed to fill up with patrons, but the service was always pretty quick and attentive. Great little place on the island. read more

See all

Delicious and great portion sizes! The service was friendly and attentive. The space (both dining area and bathroom) is clean and spacious. Ample, free parking, though we came during non-peak hours. I wish chips and salsa were complimentary. I would come back again! If you're coming from the mainland, you may think that the food is just alright or even disappointing based on all of the five star reviews. But please understand that Hawai'i isn't known for our Mexican cuisine and decent/"authentic" choices are pretty limited across the islands (even on O'ahu where I'm from). read more

Everything is good, I've tried almost everything on the menu over the years, never been disappointed and the owner is so nice everytime ! Great service My favorite thing on the menu is the giant taco salad with al pastor meat read more

Wow this restaurant did not disappoint! The service was great. The two people running it were super friendly and great with our two year old son. The food came out quick and was delicious authentic Mexican food. The restaurant also had super comfy chairs which I loved! read more

El Rey Del Mar - Tacos el pastor - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

See all

Sitting by the pool and thought about ceviche! Portion was fair but damn $27 and mostly cucumbers and tomatoes. I ordered the combo (shrimp, octopus, fish) got probably 7 or 8 pieces of small cut octo! Smh I wouldn't pay $15 had I known. Ceviche supposed to be sour but this is super sweet. read more

El Rey Del Mar - Combo (shrimp, octopus and fish) ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

Updated because Birria quesadilla/taco with beef broth is heart and soul warming delicious read more

See all

Good Mexican food in a clean comfortable place. Plenty of parking (behind McDonalds). The al pastor quesadilla was stuffed with plenty of delicious meat. I actually had leftovers. read more

We love their food! Always delicious and made fresh. We ordered the Quesa Birria and the soft shell crab tacos. Both very delicious! The horchata is HUGE and made in house. They also have a variety of other classic Mexican drinks both bottled and made in house! read more

See all

I really like this guy. Went with Parents and they were strict vegetarian. Owner clearly mentioned which items are vegetarian and which one cooked with non-vegetarian items. Super polite guy and extremely honest. Food was delicious as well. Highly recommend the place. read more

The food is truly authentic mexican food.. Delicious ceviche & burritos. Highly recommend!!

Three of us decided to try El Rey Del Mar this evening. I live on Oahu and my friends live here in Kauai. Even though we've driven past the restaurant before, none of us had been in before. Upon entering the first thing we noticed was other happy customers and all the plates of food we saw at other's tables looked fantastic and the portions looked large. We kept it pretty simple; we started with chips, salsa, and guacamole. The hot sauce on the tables was wonderful and spicy but not too spicy. The chips, salsa and guacamole was a large portion and perfect for the 3 of us. The guac was fresh and delicious. For our main entrees we placed one order of veggie fajitas, and two orders of the fajita burritos. With one of the fajita burritos we opted for no meat, cheese or sour cream, and the other was the with all the fixings and birria for the meat choice. The food was brought out extremely quickly and the portions great. Lots of food in the fajitas and the burritos were HUGE! All the veggies were cooked but still crispy (perfect!) and the burritos had the perfect mix or rice, beans, cheese, meat, and veggies. We all LOVED our meals and the sauce that was over the burritos was amazing. My friend finished all of his fajitas, but we ended up taking almost half of each burrito home because we couldn't finish them all. Don't worry, they will definitely be enjoyed as leftovers, and we're actually looking forward to round two of the burritos later. The meals were priced right and actually, in my opinion, cheaper than most other options on Kauai and twice the food. I give it a 10/10 as far as value. It should go without saying that the quality of the food was a 10/10 for all three of us as well. We were super pleased that we discovered this restaurant, and our only wish was that we had found this place sooner. We will all definitely be back again. It will be difficult to try something else since we felt like we hit a home run with our food choices this time, but are excited to try all the other items in the menu. read more

I loved this place! We started with the ceviche mixto, (fish, shrimp & octopus) chips, and salsa. Yummy! It was just spicy enough. For our entrees, I had the quesa birria tacos, 3 corn tortillas stuffed with cheese, cilantro, and onions with a bowl of birria dipping sauce for $20. It was delicious! I could have eaten another plateful. My partner had the sope with chicken which comes with beans, lettuce, sour cream, and pico de Gallo for $15. We both loved our meals. They don't have alcohol so we brought a couple of Longboards with us. They do have a selection of Mexican soft drinks. read more

Definitely the best Mexican food on the island, it might be the best food. We have to stop in every time we visit the island, and sometimes we go twice in a week. The service is phenomenal, and I love that they give you your own sauces. I love the burrito, and we always go crazy on the apps because they're all very good. read more

Ehhh decent tasting ceviche but it was 70% picadillo on top and very light on the shrimp and octopus... the fried fish tasted good when u add a bunch of lemon and salt. But damn, i got 3 cuts of lime with both plates and then asked for more lime, they gave me a side container with 3 more pieces of lime an actually charged me $3 extra for a side of lime. Never been charged for lime for mexican food anywhere. read more

El Rey Del Mar - Side of lemon, 3 tiny cuts. Wild - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

Favorite lunch spot when you need a break from Hawaiian food. I get plenty of Mexican food at home but this one is probably a top 10 for me. Great fajitas with flavorful steak, chicken and shrimp, solid rice and beans, and a good guacamole. I ordered pico de gallo which was a whopping $6 but it really wasn't needed. The steak in the carne asada was tender and tasty. The steak quesadilla also hit the spot. Add this to your list! read more

See all

It's a bit hard to find but the restaurant is in a shopping center behind the McDonald's . It's right between Waipouli Restaurant and Sherwin Williams. There used to be an Indian restaurant at this location. I understand they also have a highly rated food truck and branched into a restaurant. They opened only a few days ago We stopped by and decided to give it a try. There was a special today on 3 tacos, and I chose al pastor (just 1 meat choice; no mixing). They came out piping hot and had plenty of meat. The tortillas were substantial enough to hold it all together. They were delicious. I enjoyed the extra pop of flavor from the chunk of pineapple. Onions and cilantro, pure goodness. We also got the chicken burrito and it was decently sized, with saucy meat, beans and rice. Three bottles of sauces enhanced everything--one hot, a green sauce, and a mayo based lighter one. This is probably one of the most authentic Mexican meals I've had in Hawaii. The staff were friendly. We definitely enjoyed the food. Skip McDonald's and give El Rey Del Mar a try. read more

El Rey Del Mar - Tacos Al Pastor - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

See all

Delicious food, comfortable chairs, air condition, and friendly service! Mounted TVs on walls with a different movies playing. Waitress was so sweet to our boys! All staff was bilingual (English and Spanish). We will be back again! I want to try the hibiscus drink read more

See all

The food here is amazing! My family loves to come to this place for Mexican food. It tastes the way it should and not altered. The seafood also tastes great. The service is fanominal every time we go. read more

Great food and service. Very clean as well. A bright spot of Mexican in Kaua'i. Set in a little shopping plaza. read more

El Rey Del Mar - Chips and Guacamole - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

See all

Came here after Kapaa's May Day and the ac was incredible! Food was good. Had the taco salad. It's a bit pricey for 3 of us but I think that's the normal. read more

El Rey Del Mar - Fried ice cream with apple burrito - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

We were excited to try this place but can't say we'd come back. Aside from the hair we found in our food you can see here, the workers initially refused to serve us because of our service dog. We came at lunch time and carried the legal documentation, plus our service dog is small, silent, and extremely well behaved. One of the ladies shooed us out the moment we walked through the door. A different lady said they'd only seat us outside. We didn't argue, and took the seat outside. This action was illegal, wrong and we have never experienced this anywhere else. I attached a photo of a sign they display saying they allow service dogs, but that's a lie. However, restaurants, are REQUIRED to accept service dogs in ALL areas customers are allowed. They cannot refuse service to a person with a disability because of a service animal, nor can they isolate the person and their service animal from other patrons. So shame on this restaurant. Besides the hair in our food and bad service, the Mexican rice is bland, and the enchiladas were whatever. The plates do NOT come with rice and beans, you'll need to add that for an additional charge. And the salsa you pay for if you buy chips and salsa (that's not complimentary either), isn't good. They do not serve cocktails here. If you still find yourself trying this place out, order something other than the enchiladas and hopefully you'll have better luck and experience than we did. read more

See all

Food was OKAY. I'm Hispanic and the food lacked some flavor. Let me explain. I came with husband and this is what I ordered: The green salsa enchiladas with steak. The steak was bland with no flavor. I personally like my meat well done but it had unevenly cooked pieces/ some were done rare. You can tell it was put on to cook for some searing but taken off too early. (Again. My personal taste for meat) the green salsa was mild and not spicy which I liked but could have used more salt. The tortilla was falling apart. Overall rating for the enchiladas 3/10. Our server was a super nice gentleman. I'm assuming the owner the way he was moving around and handled situations. He was super nice and noticed me picking at the meat that was raw and he kindly offered to change out my plate but I had already eaten 2 of the 4 enchiladas and was getting full so I didn't want to waist food and get a new plate. But he did offer to change my plate. Instead he offered me a discount of 10% which I was thankful for. My husband ordered: tacos al pastor which came with rice and beans. Rice was delicious! Tacos he LOVED! Beans were okay. Agua de Jamaica, was fresh and delicious. Appetizers: they have a variety and we ordered the chips and guacamole. The guac could have used more salt as it had zero. Drinks: they don't serve alcohol but do have Aguas frescas: horchata, jamaica, (can't remember the last one) Overall rating for appetizer: 6/10 Tacos Al pastor overall rating: 7/10 (said my husband) Overall restaurant cleanliness: 8/10 (I was given a water cup with crusted food ) Bathrooms: didn't check Staff: SUPER FRIENDLY AND ATTENTIVE Parking: enough parking spots Location: convenient for all as it's in a prime location where tons of resorts and hotels are. read more

See all

Don't come here if you are vegetarian or GF. Manager was very honest and told us everything would have cross contamination. So had to leave.

I wanted to try this restaurant as I heard it's good. As we were walking up I was excited with the plants in front. Tables are available outdoors. We entered and was greeted and chose to sit outside. Staff is welcoming. Extensive menu. Placed order, we ordered only two items and a Horchata. I enjoyed the beverage. Husband ordered the taco salad with steak. He enjoyed it. I ordered the Chile Relleno. I actually wanted to see if it was better than the Chile relleno I make at home. It was filled with just cheese but the item was not freshly made. It was soft and thin, probably prepared in advance sometime, and heated up. I was hoping for freshly prepared. Meals come with two bottles of sauces, those helped immensely with the overall taste of the dish. Service was quick and very attentive. read more

See all

This spot serves the best Carnitas I have ever had. Period. The owners are nice and accommodating, the portions are huge, the prices are more than reasonable. It is clean and plays pleasant music at a socially good volume. It is my new favorite, I have not had anything yet on the menu that I don't love. This should be a new local favorite. For local and visitor alike. Period. read more

El Rey Del Mar - Super carnitas taco salad! - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

Food was delicious! Super fresh and very big burritos. Service is quick and staff is always nice. Lots of space inside

Really good quesabirria. And they have chilaquiles, which is hard to find in Hawaii. Great service! Looks and feels like a mariscos taqueria from Mexico. Will def be coming back to try other menu items. read more

El Rey Del Mar - quesabirria - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

See all

Birria tacos so fresh and delicious. My husband got a burrito and the ladies brought out all kinds of hot sauce for him to try. Would come again- very very clean restaurant with fresh food. read more

El Rey Del Mar - Birria tacos and burrito - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

This is HANDS DOWN the MOST amazing spot in the area and top for the island. Service was prompt and the owners are super sweet. Quesabirria (comes in three)- 5/5 I slathered and dunked a crisp, fully-packed quesabirria taco into the rich savory consomé. Could not get enough of it. Happy to say that I devoured all three tacos within minutes Al pastor taco- 5/5 Loved the juiciness of each bite and how loaded the taco was. Grilled pineapples were a perfect sweet addition. Diablo ceviche-4/5 Fresh, lemony and refreshing. Came with a big plate of chips and I had a great time snacking on it. It definitely has a spicy kick to it, so be aware. The establishment also had great music from the Gypsy kings; great vibe. Big portions, big smiles. Get a bang for buck. read more

El Rey Del Mar - Diablo ceviche - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

See all

Loved the food here! Ordered steak burritos - one with red sauce and one with green sauce. Green sauce was very tasty. Huge portion sizes. We were so happy that we decided to try this place. Great service too! There's lots of options on the menu and they look so good. Want to come back to try those too! read more

El Rey Del Mar - Steak burrito with red sauce - Mexican Near Me - Kapaʻa, Hawaii

See all

Kindest workers & great food. Chill vibe and very quick service. We got the chimichanga and verde enchiladas. Delish!

Good Mexican food in Kauai. Very nice service. I was a bit hangry when we got there and we had a fairly large party with kids and they handled it so well! I really enjoyed the nachos, which were yummy and had perfectly grilled vegetables. read more

Super delicious and Very big portions of food. I got the Waimea canyon burrito. It comes with steak but I substitute it with chicken. This burrito is massive! My husband got the Tampiquena which is a New York steak served with Two enchiladas, rice. beans, guacamole and tortilas. We ordered the side cheesy dip with chips! The staff was very nice, very accommodating, good seating and there was no problem with parking. read more

See all

Seafood seemed less than fresh; to be honest we both were afraid to order ceviche as we were fearful of food poisoning. It gave a vibe of a place Gordon Ramsey needed to rescue. Service was okay, attentive but somehow awkward like they also couldn't believe you were eating here. All thevfood needed a big dose of freshness, great Mexican seafood is all about fresh grill-kissed flavor with citrus and simplicity. This was the opposite more like badmaiainland Mexican but with salty boiled octopus that needed grilling and less salt and bacon wrapped shrimp. Fried stuff was oily and what wasn't greasey fri3d seemed microwave warmed. Very disappointed. Wish we ate anywhere else. We ordered the Crazy Seafood Plate we did leave a nice tip we hope they spend on doing a bit better. Sorry to rip them but was sad about the whole situation. read more

Family owned and operated by a family from Mexico so the food is legit. It's our go to when we are craving Mexican food. The owner even looks at my son and say "the usual?" Which is huge considering he is in the spectrum and the tiniest thing to most will ruin his meal. read more