Daughter and I had dinner here during our Hawaiian vacation (mother/daughter trip). Food was truly delicious and service was amazing--I don't remember our servers name as it was a month ago (sorry) but everyone was so nice. Beautiful restaurant. read more

We opted to eat at the Hukilau because we read on yelp that it wouldn't be as noisy as a restaurant we had considered on the south side. So we traveled across the island (from Waimea). It was worth it. The ribs puu puu was succulent, my filet was cooked just right (I like my meat really really rare) my daughter enjoyed her three fish selection and my son-in-law relished his meatloaf. We order the lava cake, which was fine but the winner was the crème brûlée. The best best ever. Just amazing The waitress helped us order a drink with mango which was delicious and the suggested red wine could not have been better Another one of offspring will be visiting with his family in July and you can bet the Hukilau will be on our itinerary. read more

My husband and I visited Kauai for the second time and dined at Hukilau Lanai on May 4, 2026. Overall, our dining experience was good with one exception: the receiving hostess at the front desk was NOT pleasant. Our server, Andrew, was excellent. He was nice, knew answers to questions we had, offered recommendations and was attentive. Our food was delicious! We had the Beach Boy Salad, Wally's Steak Crown Royal, and the Prime Rib au Jus. Both were very delicious!! I would have liked to give 5 stars, but deducted one because of the hostess up front. When we arrived she DID NOT say hello or anything equivalent. She did NOT smile. She was NOT welcoming. As we approached the desk, my husband said, "Hello, we have a dinner reservation for 5:30. She said, "Your name?". My husband gave her our last name. Then she said, "She'll take you". She barely acknowledged us, NEVER a smile. That is not customer service. Please retrain her on how to represent the restaurant, customer service, and just basic manners. read more

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Wonderful drinks and fantastic fresh fish choices. Came with 3 lady friends on vacation here after rain on north shore changed our plans and dinner reservations. We felt so lucky to arrive here and were seated almost immediately. Our waiter, Joshua, despite his young age was very professional with the menu and made great recommendations. There was some live music in the corner which didn't interfere with conversation but added to the Hawaiian ambiance. Our dining area used to be bar seating which we loved with great views and presented feeling of intimacy as opposed the main room. It was our first night out together after arrival and we were giddy and had a fun time. Would return again my next trip to Kauai. read more

Hukilau Lanai - Cheers!! - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Everything about this restaurant gave us the Hawaiian dining experience we were seeking We arrived without a reservation and placed on a waitlist. Fortunately they seated us within 10 minutes in the dining area near the hotel bar located outside of the their main dining room. This was the perfect location because we were semi outside and in the area where they had a musician playing. Josh our waiter was amazing. Explained the menu and provided us with phenomenal service. The food was delicious. We ordered various fish dishes. Our plates all had a Hawaiian twist to them in their preparation. What a great way to get our Hawaii vacation started. read more

Hukilau Lanai - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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One of my favorite East side restaurants that never disappoints. I love the appetizers especially the goat and lobster won ton, the poke nachos and the Wally Salad. There is always nice local entertainment in the evening also. Lovely fresh breezes from the beach. Great service. You can also eat off the menu in the lounge if you can get a reservation. read more

This place is a 4.5 stars. Came here for dinner and the service was amazing. I had the wailua Bay Breeze cocktail and it was very refreshing. Definitely recommend. I ordered the Wally salad and ahi nachos poke and both were very good. My husband ordered the meatloaf and gazpacho and he loved it. Would definitely come back again. read more

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What an experience, and the price is absolutely justified. Amazing food, excellent service, and beautiful ambiance all in one. We came with a reservation since our hotel was nearby and walkable. I was celebrating my birthday, and the staff really helped make it special. We were seated in the indoor area with a lovely view of the ocean and pool, which set the tone for the night. Here's what I tried: Chowder - Included with the entrée. Not your traditional clam chowder, but very tasty and well-balanced. (4.5/5) Prime Rib - Incredible. I don't usually order prime rib, but this one blew me away. Perfectly cooked medium rare, incredibly tender, and the sauces were outstanding. (5/5) Hukilau Mixed Grill - A must-try if you want to sample multiple types of fish. Everything was cooked beautifully, and the sauce tied it all together perfectly. (5/5) Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory Dessert - Ordered this for the birthday candle (note: it takes about 20 minutes, so order early). Gooey, rich chocolate inside and absolutely delicious. (5/5) Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Yes, it's pricey, but the upscale dining experience is well worth it when visiting Kauai. read more

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Our favorite meal on our Kauai trip! I made same day reservations for an early dinner at 5:30 for Saturday evening when I realized how close this restaurant was to our resort. We arrived promptly at 5:30 pm, but it took maybe 10 minutes for our table to be ready. No problem, as it the perfect time to take photos outside on the beautiful green grounds outside with the golden hour lighting. The seating is open with views of grounds. You can see the ocean in the distance as well. We started off with drinks. I stuck with the virgin lava flow ($8), which I personally found way too sweet. I didn't drink much of this. My friend had the loco lemonade ($15), which he really enjoyed. However, he didn't taste any tequila in it, so either the drink was really well made or they poured less tequila. For food, we started off with the complimentary focaccia, which was served with a vinaigrette on the side. This was delicious and tasted like pizza bread. We liked it so much we got a second order! My friend got the chicken and mushrooms entree ($35), which he really enjoyed. It's served with a generous portion of mashed potatoes and gravy as well. Any entree comes with your choice of soup or salad, so he got one of the salads. Such good value for the price! My main was mushroom meatloaf ($35), which I absolutely loved. I'm a huge fan of meatloaf in general and the one here was SO good. The gravy it came with delicious as well, and they nice enough to give me a second serving of gravy when I ran out halfway through. Portions for the meatloaf were on the larger side and I ended up taking some leftovers head. Luckily it heated up well in our room microwave and tasted just as good the next day. For my side, I paid an extra $4 to upgrade to the lobster bisque, which I HIGHLY recommend. It was the perfect amount of creamy and tasted perfect. We were too stuffed for dessert, as much as I wanted to order something, but our server was super sweet and gave us some complimentary dark chocolate peanut butter truffles as a birthday treat. The service was very slow initially while ordering and getting drinks, but picked up after some tables left. Would highly recommend eating at Hukilau Lanai at least once while you're visiting Kauai! read more

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The views here are definitely the highlight -- if you're lucky enough to get a seat facing the garden at sunset, it's a beautiful setting. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to the scenery. The calamari tasted far from fresh and could've used a lot more seasoning. We tried two different soups, and both had that unmistakable "straight out of the can" flavor. The fish was fine -- seemed fresh enough -- but again, bland and forgettable. Honestly, the best thing we had all night was the side Caesar salad. Not sure what all the glowing reviews are about, but this one was a miss for us. Great views, disappointing food. read more

Hukilau Lanai - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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I wanted to love this place as we were recommended a few times by multiple people but I just didn't. Our food was average. The staff was super friendly and accommodating so five stars for them! The place itself had a nice touch to it but we were sat in the outside area that was covered with a tent type thing and the wind was blowing hard and cold so it was a bit unpleasant. We ordered the filet mignon and it was cooked more than we would have liked but it was still good. Everything was good just not great especially not for the price. I would have spent that elsewhere but I had high hopes. I might be back to try something else in the future to give them another try. read more

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I never thought I would be writing a review such as this about this restaurant but here we go. We have been coming to this restaurant for ten years now and have really have never had bad food or a bad experience until now. I always order the fish and this time I ordered the blackened Ahi. The Ahi arrived in a bowl not blackened but pale in unflavored broth with steamed cauliflower that had no seasoning. The mashed potatoes started to blend with the watery unflavored broth and it was a hot mess. I feel as though the fish has been disrespected. I could not eat this dish and ordered a substitution which I had hoped was better but I as not. I ordered the ono was tasted like leather. Ono should be treated gently and if anything cooked until just done but this was hard to eat. The "sauce" they have is not a sauce but like a tartar sauce and could not be poured over the fish another disappointment. I'm really sad about this because as I have mentioned we have been eating here for a long time! The sweet potato ravioli was good as before but the poki nachos also have changed with the chips bring tough and with very little topping and it didn't taste the same. At this point there is as no coming back from this. To say the least nobody seemed to really care how I felt about the dish and nothing was done. Very disappointing and unfortunate . I'm sad that we won't be return to Hukilau for a long time if ever! Do they care though? It seems as if this is a tourist trap restaurant now and it's so unfortunate that there are new owners and a chef who has no knowledge how to treat food with respect and pride. read more

Food was amazing but the service was just ok. Been here multiple times in previous years and the service this year was no where near what it has been in the past. But the food was the best on the island!!! read more

Been here several times over the years-really miss their tasting menu/pre fixe dinner they had in the past. Good service and convenient location. This most recent time, my mother in law's pork was a little undercooked-which they fixed, but otherwise the mini salads included with entrees were a great touch. Our family enjoyed the prime rib, chicken and mushrooms, and seared ahi entrees. Recommend making reservations ahead of time. Otherwise solid elevated diner option. read more

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First visit and we enjoyed it! Tried four of the five fish dishes--each flavorful, with the mac nut-crusted opah as the clear winner (light, flaky, and delicious). The mixed grill offered a nice variety, too. Live band added great energy, though it made conversation tricky. Service started strong but slowed as the night went on. Bread was tasty but served cold, and the fish chowder, while generous with fish, wasn't a reorder for me. Overall, tasty seafood and a fun atmosphere--worth a visit if you're in the area. read more

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Everything we had was SO good! We started with the ravioli, I got the pork. I can't remember what my husband got but everything was amazing. We were very impressed. Great views, great service. Dessert menu looked delicious but we were too full. read more

Hukilau Lanai - Table view - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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On a Friday night, they got us in within 15 min without a reservation. Our server was so awesome! Joshua thank you so much for being patient with 4 women! From the drinks, to the soup, to the wonderful fish entrees we had a wonderful dinner and service. It was a lovely night - Thank you! read more

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Always a lovely evening. We make it our tradition to dine here when we're on Island! :) We have really enjoyed the tasting menu & wonder if the restaurant will bring it back. read more

Food are amazing!! They offer different kinds of fishes every night and all of them are delicious! We especially like the bbq ribs appetizer- very tender and the pickle watermelon is so good!!! Their price are very reasonable considering everything is pretty expensive in Kauai! All entrees come with soup or salad, which is a nice touch! read more

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I found this accidentally looking for a restaurant near my hotel which didn't look appealing. This is in the lobby of a private vacation hotel. The restaurant is open to the public. Andrew was great and attentive. Beautiful surroundings and food. Highly recommend. read more

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Ambiance - beautiful, very spacious restaurant. When we arrived, the restaurant was full. Several patrons were also waiting to dine. Service - since we arrived two hours earlier than our reserved time, we had to wait awhile. As soon as a table opened, we were seated and immediately attended to. Our orders were served not long after. I ordered the mushroom meatloaf with mashed potatoes. My hubby ordered the pork tenderloin with mashed purple sweet potatoes. Our meals came with a choice of salad or soup of the day. Since the soup of the day did not sound appealing to us, hubby and I both opted for the lobster curry bisque for an up charge of $4 each. Wow, the bisque was creamy and rich without being cloying. The mushroom meatloaf was a generous serving and I loved its heartiness. My hubby's pork tenderloin was beautifully presented and tasted very flavorful. We left totally satiated and happy. Service was great! read more

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This used to be my favorite restaurant in the _entire world_. Unfortunately, the original owners retired, and although many of the staff members remain, the last time we dined there it had clearly lost its magic. It is still a really good restaurant, but every single time I had eaten there we were completely blown away, but definitely not this time. The staff is lovely, the ambience is great, but the food just isn't the same. Not sure why, but it is definitely fallen from the considerable heights they had obtained with the original owners. Fine dining is an incredibly difficult business to be in, and every meal is like a performance - maybe I caught them on an off-night, but it just seems like the passion and aloha that used to be so present in their offerings was oddly absent this last time around. We will still go back, but I will lower my expectations, and will likely be fine with what is a very good but not exceptional meal. read more

We ate here our last night on the island. We had a virgin pina colada and it was so good! The food was really great too, I had the chicken and mushrooms and my husband had the fish trio (I can't recall the name but it's three different types of fish). Both dishes were so good. He had a ceasar salad and I had the mixed greens. Mixed greens was DELICIOUS. For dessert we had the Macadamia tart with cinnamon ice cream. The caramel had an interesting taste to it, it wasn't by favorite. The restaurant had live music which was really pleasant and we ate overlooking a nice garden. I thought the service was a little slow (yes I know we are in Hawaii) but we other than that it was a great experience and we would go back. read more

Hukilau Lanai - Mac tart - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

You'll definitely need reservations here -- or you can try your luck at the bar like we did. It is set in a resort which is very nice. My husband and I sat at the bar, but unfortunately the service was cold at best. We felt more like a nuisance than guests, which was disappointing. On the bright side, the food was excellent and they serve fresh gluten-free bread! Traveling with someone who has celiac makes finding good gluten-free options tough, so we were really excited to try this place. Bummed about the service, but at least we left well fed! read more

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This is THE place for a nice meal while visiting Kauai. My husband and I both had the filet. We have never had a better one. The candied ahi is amazing, as is the lobster bisque and Wally's salad. Wonderful service too. read more

Hukilau Lanai - View from our table. - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Another five star review for Hukilau. Years later and still great service, great food with a view. We had reservations and seated promptly. Went with a large party and ordered drinks right away. We decided to just order dinner, that came with a salad and dessert. My fresh catch mahi-mahi was prepared to perfection. My husband tried his hardest to finish his prime rib but ended up leaving behind a few bites. Their Caesar salad for whatever reason is the best!!! Ended with the macadamia nut tart that comes served with a cinnamon ice cream. All so very good!! Our waitress dropped the check and we realized we didn't ask for it to be split. She graciously agreed and brought back right away. When on Kauai, Hukilau is always must! read more

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Nice place for a good dinner. Prime Rib was very good, and the service was responsive and accommodating. read more

Hukilau Lanai - Open dining area in lobby. Live music playing in the background. - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

We made reservations for our last night in Kauai and luckily it was on our resort we were staying at. Beautiful scenery and delicious food with very friendly staff! The lobster puffs were amazing and the filet mignon was perfectly rare the way I like it. read more

This may have been my best meal while in Kauai. We had made last min reservations. We arrived & it took about 20 min after our reservation time to actually be seated. Our server Paul was fantastic! He made wonderful recommendations for us to enjoy my birthday meal. I ordered the filet & my friend ordered a fish dish. The starter broccoli cheddar soup was delicious. We wish we had saved some room for their delicious looking desserts. I recommend giving this place a try if you want great food & service. read more

Hukilau Lanai - A sweet little treat! - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Enjoyable atmosphere, great food and great views!! A family favorite. Love the live music in the lobby, chocolate cake (order early as it takes 20 minutes) and great staff. read more

You want to know what you come to this island for???!!! You come for the candied ahi. Plain and simple....... Don't order one to share it's the best thing you will ever have ever!!!! We had lots of other dishes but that ahi is insane in the membrane. read more

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Our first stop when we got to Kauai. We made a reservation about two months before our trip. Had high expectations for this place since their reviews were great and a highly recommended place on the island. We were not that impressed and most likely will not be back next time. After checking in at the host station, we waited for about 5 minutes before being seated. The restaurant is inside a hotel and had dining tables in their lobby and through an entrance to a more enclosed restaurant area. We were seated at a table in the lobby area - weird feeling. The tables were near hotel lobby couches for guest to sit at. Our server came by maybe 10 minutes after we were seated. Server wasn't terrible, but wasn't the friendly and upbeat service you would expect from a pricey place. Our food was okay. I was fine with my ahi tuna and crab cake dish. My daughter had the filet mignon and did not enjoy it. She ate half of her food. My partner had the three fish special and was not impressed with it. Our meals came with salad or soup. We all ordered salads - mixed green and ceasar. Since our food wasn't impressive, we decided to skip dessert. Only gave 3 stars since the seating is awkward and the food was okay for a pricey place. We will skip this place next time. read more

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Service deplorable. So many inept servers standing around. All tables empty. Seven staff hovering around host stand rearranging menus. Five parties waiting to be seated treated as though they were invisible. Expensive, limited menu. Surly host. Skip this place altogether unless you like paying $100 to be treated as though it's a privilege to dine at their sacred empty restaurant. Giant bummer read more

Good food, friendly service, but a little stuffy. Also a little dark (at least where we were seated - right outside the kitchen) (despite having made a reservation somewhat in advance. I'd go back, but it wouldn't be my first choice. read more

We ate here the last 2 nights in Kauai. It was a short walk from our hotel. The ambience was really nice. We sat in the bar area where there was amazing live music both nights. Paul was our server the fist night and we really enjoyed talking to him. We had Josh the second night. He was nice but not overly friendly. I have a gluten allergy and they are known for taking allergies very seriously. The first night was flawless. I had the fish trio and it was excellent. My husband had the same. The second night I tried the prime rib and my husband had ribs and lobster wontons. My prime rib was very good. He liked the ribs but he didn't care for the wontons. I was served dessert with a cookie on it (not gluten free) but I caught it before I ate it so disaster was averted. Although it wasn't perfect both nights, it was the best food and ambience we had in Kauai so I would recommend this restaurant and I would go back next time we visit. read more

Hukilau Lanai - Fish trio, and an excellent pineapple martini - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Amazing service, food and atmosphere! Chelsea was fantastic as well as all other staff we met. The calamari was probably the best we've ever tasted. I had the Ahi that was seasoned and cooked to perfection. Thank you very much for making our anniversary dinner perfect. read more

Great seafood, very fresh. The special of the day change and the published menu online is only a small portion of what they can do. My wife has dietary issues and the Vegetable lasagna in cream sauce was perfect. It was one of the top meals I have had on the islands. I would return. Suggest you get a reservation ahead of time. read more

The food and service is amazing here. The music was great too. Ambiance is peaceful and calm. read more

Hukilau Lanai - View from our table - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

It's my very 1st time to eat here.So I was very excited!!.We came to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday.The ambience was nice!.fancy but not to fancy..This place also had a romantic vibe to it.So after ordering our drinks we had the fried calamari for our appetizer also they provided us with there complementary fresh baked bread.Then soon after we placed our orders for our entrees.My girlfriend had the prime rib.It came with either salad or lobster Bisque.One of her 2 other friend's had the chicken n mushroom n then her other friend had the macadamia nut crusted opah.N for myself I got the Wally's steak crown royal n I chosen the salad.The salad was fresh n I enjoyed it.As well as everyone they enjoyed there meals!.Then they also had dessert.They sent a warm Hawaiian chocolate cake with a candle n a sign that said Happy Birthday!!.It was so nice!She enjoyed it! A lot.Everything tasted good!.The service was awesome.The only thing is that I'm a kinda big eater n the portion that was on my plate I wasn't satisfied but the steak was very tender n the sauce was just had the perfect taste to it. read more

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Each time we're on Kauai we always eat at Hukilau lanai. The service, the food, the ambience is always consistent and top-notch. I didn't even take any pictures. My food was so good. The only picture I got is of the specialty drink order that I had. Highly highly recommend them for a special meal on Kauai. Get reservations if you can. read more

Hukilau Lanai - Mezcal old-fashioned - Seafood Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii