Meh- I think that this was a decent meal but not worth the 60 dollars price tag. The dishes were just okay. Not outstanding. I went to a few places that outpaced this place locally. We t is a farm to table experience that falls short. It is two tables set up in a business with lighting that keeps getting brighter than darker as if there is a short in the wire. There are a lot of bugs in the space. Mosquitos and fleas. We had a five course dinner. Ones was a meatball dish, the ono dish was good, the salad and the hoed dish was not good. The fourth dish was pork and was a solid dish. Desert was very rich and okay. I could determine how these dishes connect or complement each other. It seemed disconnected. It was also BYOB. We didn't get the text telling us this until we pulled into the parking lot. We needed to go back out an pick something up. Again, the food was good but the experience fell short. read more

Kauai Ono - Pork dinner. - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

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The absolute best experience and highlight of our trip !! Met some wonderful people and had some amazing dishes! I'm so glad our bell man from our hotel told us about this place ! read more

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Josh L's review from 8/7/2019 hit the nail on the head. It was a decent meal but probably not worth the price. None of the dishes were things I would need to have again. Despite the average food, the experience was awesome! I enjoyed sitting at the long communal tables. I loved that this was outside and byob. We enjoyed the table strangers we were seated next to and got so many good tips about what to do in Hawaii. The service was also very friendly and accommodating. They were able to made a vegan tasting menu for one of us. Overall I would recommend going for this unique experience! read more

Great first dinner on the island. Definitely a different type of place...sitting outside under one big tent at family style tables. Great to meet new people while having dinner and see where everyone is from. Every night the menu changes and depends on what is fresh that day for it is truly a surprise which is super fun! The night we went the food was to die for with the best dessert ever. It was a churro style fried Mochi bar with a hot chocolate dipping sauce. Incredible! The bugs were not too much of a problem..but we didn't bring spray and used it before dinner. They have some there for you if you forget it. It's BYOB..so if you want to drink something besides water bring it. They have wine bottle openers and beer openers scattered throughout the table with a big ice bucket in the middle for champagne or white wines. If you are staying on the north side I truly recommend this place for dinner! read more

This was our fourth time having an amazing dinner at Kauai Ono. Being wine Educators from NYC now living on Oahu, the 35 minute flight made life so much easier compared to the one hr. drive from Queens NY to Manhattan. Each dish is magical. The ambiance is so relaxing and the camaraderie equally stimulating. Thanks to BYOB we could pair our own great wines with their great food. Each dish is described with flair and knowledge. This is a true lifetime experience. PS this last menu had only one dish we had at past dinners. read more

Kauai Ono - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

The other reviews hit the nail on the head. Great food and fun. BYOB Wish we could have dined there more but only open 2 days a week for dinner. The menu changes regularly so expect a pleasant surprise. read more

Kauai Ono - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

Love this experience. My parents live on the North Shore and I often travel with my spouse and/or friends to visit. I've eaten there three times and enjoyed every time. You sit outdoors at communal tables under a very large, nicely lit tent. Decor on the tables is "tropical rustic," attractive. The entire atmosphere is exactly what I would expect from a Hawaiian North Shore dining experience: healthy, outdoors, organic, casual but kind. I love that all the food is local. Not every dish is stellar but for me, the overall experience outweighs this. We've met several people at the dinner that we've stayed in touch with. What's useful to know: Bring or apply bug spray, don't dress up too much (some people do but it is the North Shore), avoid heels if you normally wear them, bring a light sweater, bring an umbrella (it is the North Shore) in case of showers to go back and forth to your car, and finally bring your own wine - it's all BYOB. (Pro tip: There's a liquor store with an amazing wine selection in Koloa.) I plan to every future visit. read more

Kauai Ono - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

Unique dining experience with pre-set menu. The venue is at a tour check-in under a tent. There's a scent of horse poop every time there's a slight breeze. The food was excellent: 5 courses, I enjoyed the first two courses the most (see photos) I made reservations several weeks ago and noted that we had two children in our party and one person required a low carb diet per their instructions on their reservation site. All this was ignored. We were charged $60/person, i.e. for 4 adults. Overall, I don't think it was worth $300 (including tax and tip) for our family of 4 with a 9 and 7 Year old. read more

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We recently attended a dinner on a friend recommendation. The food was delicious! Presentation was impressive. Highly recommend! You sit at one of two very long tables family style while the food service is not family style. Be sure to bring inspect repellent and somethjng to cover up with because it can get cool. They also will accommodate food allergies but you need to let them know prior to the day. Enjoy! read more

Different experience sampling tapas styled plates that are signature to Hawaii. Our travel agent and friends recommended this experience to us while we are on our honeymoon and it didn't disappoint. We met many new people which was definitely the best part of the experience in my opinion. We tried tacos on plantains, salads with fish, pulled pork and more. Everything was delicious and was hot when it was served to us. Apparently the dishes are always changing so you may get something entirely different. The meal was $70 and BYOB. I didn't necessarily think the food we received was worth the price but it was a different experience nonetheless. You are outside and unfortunately for us it was a super damp night. There were lots of bugs so plan to bring some spray! Was just a bit muggy from the rainfall and climate and you are outdoors after all. The sun set quickly, we didn't really get to see it from where we were and then it was pitch black. I recommend this experience if you are staying close by. For us it was about an hour drive and not fun on the way home in the darkness. Still totally different and unique way to experience Hawaii! read more

This is seriously a unique and worthwhile dining experience. If you're looking for excellent, fresh, farm to table food in the setting of interesting people, this is certainly something to check out. Kauai Ono is located right on the grass at Princeville Ranch, and it seats you rain or shine under a large white tent. The seating is community style, so there are two long tables and you're seated with people you don't know. It made for really cool conversation since we were seated across from another couple our age who were also on their Honeymoon. The food itself was outstanding! Each of the five courses was uniquely and complexly prepared to highlight the natural flavors of the ingredients. Don't come here expecting to gorge on huge portions, but do expect to taste several different styles of cooking. The menu is variable depending on what's fresh, so you know whenever you go it's gonna be good. The night we went the menu included a Princeville beef meatball and potatoes, fresh green salad with vinaigrette, seared fresh fish with kale, pulled beef brisket with caramelized onions, and dessert was hot melted chocolate with a cinnamon sugar soft biscotti-like pastry. Everything was melt in your mouth delicious. This was a really worthwhile experience and I highly recommend!! read more

This farm to table pop up has been going for years now, think this was our 5th time. And it's just gotten better and more of a well-oiled machine. They are really sensitive to food allergies and dietary restrictions/preferences. Everything is local. The chefs are personable and keep the food coming even though it's all out of a food trailer. It's quite impressive! Tip: bring bug spray, leave your phone in the car and interact with the people sitting next to you. read more

We had a great experience at Kauai Ono - delicious food, friendly service, and a fun communal dining experience under a tent beneath the stars at Princeville Ranch. The 5 course meal was flavorful and fresh: 1) Beef heart appetizer - this was the weak link; I wasn't a fan of this dish 2) Kale with butter fish - excellent! (This was our favorite dish!) 3) Cucumber and greens salad with lilikoi dressing - tasty (and our second favorite) 4) Seared fish (blanking on the name!) served with a purple root base - good, though we both would have preferred that the fish be softer and flakier 5) Mochi dessert - quite good We brought our own bottle of wine, as requested by this BYOB establishment. White wine served us well, given the menu. The service was friendly and efficient. It would have been nice if they had given us a printed menu listing the details of each dish. The setting was neat. We were seated at long, communal dining tables and enjoyed conversing with our neighbors. The meal took place outdoors under a large tent. It started to rain in the middle of our meal, but we did not get at all wet. I proactively applied insect repellent before the meal started and had no problems with bug bites. The entire meal took about an hour and a half. Overall, a lovely experience! read more

The food was excellent - imaginative, fresh, and delicious! We enjoyed the service, the company (communal seating) and met fascinating and lovely people. Unfortunately, we didn't receive proper notice that the meal would take place under a gazebo ", outside and we were attacked by mosquitoes relentlessly. My husband has 20+ bites. There was no deet or spray provided at the venue. This needs to be addressed as otherwise this would have definitely been a 5-star review! Cover up!!! read more

I was excited to try this place. The unique setting and the idea of farm to table in Kauai had me looking forward to this meal. Everything lived up to expectations except for the customer service. The 2 people that were running the show that night (incl. the chef) were a little surly. I made a mistake by showing up a half hour early, the woman greeted me but acted a little put off that I was there. She said to come back at 6:30 and then made sure that I was even on the reservation list before I made my exit. We killed the time and came back, unfortunately, now we were 5 min. late--she said 'I was wondering what happened to you, first you were too early and now you're late". The chef came out and introduced himself and started listing off the rules of the house like we were at the first day of boot camp. Spray for bugs outside the tent, shut your mouth when the food is put in front of you so he can explain what you're about to eat--"don't be that guy" he said. If you talk politics, you'll be thrown out. Wow, now this is sounding really fun. The food flows out at a nice clip, the chef does his explanation and then you're on to the next dish. The presentation is simple and pleasing. When the woman came to collect one round of dishes, my mom hadn't finished the entire serving because she didn't really care for it. The woman made a little jab about not finishing the food. I think if the staff was kinder and more hospitable, the whole experience would have made difference. I know it's hard to corral a party of 60-80 people but were paying $60 a head (+ tip $75 out the door)-(no beverages incl.) We're all there because we're interested and we're looking to have a unique experience--don't ruin it by acting put off that we even came. read more

- Definitely worth the price tag as this is an experience in itself - Food was delicious & you do leave satisfied - Staff was awesome, friendly & did a great job explain each dish - Take advantage of BYOB - Yes there are different kinds of insects flying around everywhere, but honestly just throw some bug repellent on & keep downing glasses of wine, you won't even notice read more

A really excellent and special meal. The setting is fun and inviting, it's a family style table, we wound up chatting with our neighbors on both sides the whole time. The food is incredible and it gives you a fun idea of what's readily available and exists all over the island. Also it's BYOB read more

Reservation only. Hubby and I came here for my birthday. Nothing special was done to celebrate so if you are looking for something more memorable or celebratory this is not the place. Farm table communal style seating. You meet other people seated next to you all for the same cause: the food. The farm-to-table concept with fresh local ingredients was interesting but as far as the selection of the dishes and taste I thought was subpar only. I had higher expectations and was definitely underwhelmed. Food was very small in terms of portions and just think tapas. Too many dishes with only raw vegetables and quite frankly would be great if some meat was paired nicely with the salad. There was 2 types of fish prepared well but not giving me that WOW feeling in my mouth. I keep comparing to my experience with J02 and with the amount of money I spent there those flavors and portion is just not there here. Dessert can be very exotic for many people that are not familiar with mochi but since I am very familiar with Asian fusion food I wasn't that impressed. To be honest very similar to the butter mochi you can get at Mark's Place. Lastly the location is just horrible. It's extremely dark and there were so many bugs. Even though I came prepared and feet and legs were sprayed down, I still managed to have a few bug bites. Definitely don't need to come in your nice heels here ladies. The entire night there were bugs everywhere... even one bug was found inside my food. I was quite disappointed actually but kinda figured outdoor cooking bound to happen. Overall interesting farm to table experience. Don't expect any hearty "meat" dishes here. Only veggies and fish in tapa size portions. Expect to pay $60 pp. read more

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It's time for a little story! Today was our first day in Kauai, and upon check in, our bell man recommended a very atypical dining experience. It's called Kauai Ono, and it's a farm to table, and technically sea to table communal dining experience. The chef cooks a 5 course meal out of a truly state of the art kitchen inside of a trailer (see pics), and is a renowned chef cooking dinner on his own terms. Drinks are BYOB, but water and Mason jars are provided. Guests dine open air underneath a large white tent laced with round bulb lights. There are two long wooden tables seating twenty people each (tables and chairs made locally from Kauaian wood), that allow complete strangers to dine and converse with each other as though they have been friends for life. Reservations are needed weeks in advance but the bell man said we should try to call the owner despite the fact that we were a couple of hours away from their one and only seating for the day. This "restaurant" is only open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.... Upon calling, I happened to reach the chef himself, Justin Smith, who said he would be happy to squeeze us in, and also make vegetarian food for me. It seemed like the impossible had been accomplished! We got into the restaurant with a 2 hour notice, where it usually takes people weeks to get in! It's an understatement to say that this was quite possibly the most savory, fresh and exquisite meal we've had. EVER. We got the chance to sample food in the most unique atmosphere, with people from all over the world who are visiting a rock in the middle of the ocean. I'll add descriptors to the photos below, but if you ever make it out to Kauai, make this first on your agenda! We've had our share of Michelin star food, and it's easy to say that our dinner tonight was of a much higher quality. It's funny how you can truly find huge diamonds in the dust! Mahalo! read more

Kauai Ono - And the food! - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

My rating based on one question: did this meet my expectations? We planned this dinner a few months before arriving to Kauai, so we had some time to think about our expectations. Ambiance: being out in a field is absolutely part of the charm. And we liked that part. What we didn't like: the reality of muddy ground underneath us which equals mosquitoes. Yes, our ankles and legs were chewed up. The lighting was nice, but a little too dim. The other reality is that you're in the field in the dark and being very dark, it's super difficult to see anything thus there is no view. Service: super friends and very knowledgeable. They also have the food service process down to a science. Very efficient. It would be good to have a more thorough description of each dish on the menu since the verbal descriptions happen very quickly. Food: first the BYOB thing needs to be carefully thought thru by the guests. My recommendation is to bring a red and white wine. White for the first course or two which was veg and fish. Red for the remaining courses. Food: we really enjoyed 80%. There were a couple of elements that didn't meet our expectations. The dessert that night had a cinnamon cake thing that was crazy good and served with a hot chocolate but that part missed the mark. Value: I'd say B-. The mosquitos, lack of view and lack of traditional service and beverage service make the price a bit of a conflict. read more

What an interesting venue. Under a tent dining Hawaiian farm to table clean quality fresh ingredients. Communal table, bring your own bottle or order from them. Good service, the right speed between courses, price is reasonable for a 5 course meal. It was nice to chat with others visiting the island. read more

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Best meal on Kauai - period. I discovered Kauai Ono's 5-course meal thru Yelp - thank god as I was getting tired of the same restaurants serving the same food. On Wednesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 - the food truck Kauai Ono serves a fabulous meal under the stars, using only local ingredients for $50 - the food rivaled anything you'd see on island (including Kauai Grill). We are foodies and the one thing we miss when on island is a unique dining experience - thank god for Justin Smith! We started out w/ a Poisson Cru (albacore ceviche), followed by a Kilauea Greens salad and Ulucake with Beets and citrus dressing, Wild Boar sausabe with Okinawan sweet potatoe, kale and carmelized onions and finally a flourless chocolate cake with cardamon whipped cream. When you start with absolutely the freshest most delicious ingedients, you don't need to do a lot to it for the flavors to shine through. Part of the charm was being outside under the lovely white tent, enjoying the birds chirping and the sun setting and chatting with our fellow diners. We'll definitely be back and make this one of our regular stops when on island. read more

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Great food and a fun dining experience--a must! Tues& Weds only,& they do sell out. Reserve in advance. Fresh inventive 5 course farm-to-table fare. Eat at 2 long tables under a tent with your new friends. Bring your wine & your bug spray! read more

Kauai Ono - Dine with your new friends under the tent--all farm-fresh local fare - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

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Pros: Food was really great and creative! Community dining and BYOB was fun too! Cons: I felt the meal was rushed and I couldn't stop thinking about the mosquitos. read more

This place deserves 5 stars for atmosphere, ambiance and quality of food. Each dish had delicious local Hawaiian ingredients incorporated. However, I think the price point of $60 per person is high. Anyway, I loved eating outside in the Kauai environment and the family style tables were a great way to interact with other diners. They provided bug spray if needed. I think this experience is very unique and one worth trying when in Kauai!! read more

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This was easily the BEST dinner we've had on Kauai in the 20+ years we've been coming to the island. Yes, it was raining tonight, it was a bit muddy and we needed to use bug spray. But don't let that rustic setting fool you. This is not your average gourmet food truck. They use a Mobile Culinary Assault Vehicle. The communal tables allow you to meet and interact with your fellow diners. We had the pleasure of meeting Tom and Alicia from NOM Burgers in Kapaa. Super sweet couple with a passion for food and delighting their customers. That is next on our list of eats. So, if you're a foodie, enjoy being surprised by each course that comes out, and trust that the chef will choose only the freshest locally sourced ingredients then make a reservation and be prepared to have a memorable experience. read more

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For us, vacations are just as much about awesome dining experiences as they are about seeing the sites. After reading many reviews I found few foodie type options in Kauai but eventually stumbled upon Kauai Ono. The farm/sea to table is a concept we love and all the ingredients are macro-locally sourced. The 5 courses we superb! We started off with whole prawns with garlic saffron butter, followed by a fresh kale salad, pan seared moonfish with Thai inspired noodles, pulled pork with a purple sweet potato, and a mango dessert to cap the night. You could taste the freshness in every bite. It's BYOB so plan accordingly. They provide ice bins to keep things cool. The servers where very friendly and knowledgeable on each dish. They have limited seatings so reservations are a must. We made ours 2 months in advance when we booked the trip but some of the folks sitting at our communal table made theirs earlier in the week. Earlier reviews mentioned bugs so we pre-sprayed with bug spray. But I'm not sure we needed it as bugs didn't seem to be a problem for us. Thanks Kauai Ono for a memorable night! Best of luck to you all and we hope to see you next time we're on the island. read more

Kauai Ono - View of Kauai Ono tent and setting - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

A wonderful dining experience on the North Shore, Hanalei, Kauai. 5 course meal, very unique, food is like art when it is delivered to the table and it is truly delicious. Our meal included a seared ono, pulled pork dish, two different salads, and a liquid chocolate dessert. The chef also accommodated for one of our guests who could not eat fish. Minus 1 star = location not very nice on the grass next to several parking lots and the main traffic road in Hanalei (doesn't fit the quality of the meal), long walk to the bathroom, we were also unexpectedly cold and there were no heat lamps. Overall a very nice food experience and I would definitely recommend. read more

Kauai Ono - Seared ono. Perfect. - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

This place has such a cute concept and I love the communal dinning. Also everything that is prepared comes from a food truck...very cool! Some of the plates were excellent while others fell short. For example, the salad was bland but then the butter fish was excellent. Make sure you bring wine and dose up on bug spray before you go. As long as you are prepared the bugs won't bother you too much. read more

This is must do while on Kaui! You will love the location! It's located on the famous Princeville Ranch and has amazing views! Kama huge fan of farm to table! So this was such a treat! The 5 course dinner is prepared using all local ingredients from the Garden Island! Every course was just perfect and fresh. The desert was a show stopper! The whole meal was gluten free and dairy free so we were really happy as a couple members of our family have dietary restrictions. The main thing is it's such a unique dining experience! You must give it a try! The people sitting next to us come every year! I think we will too read more

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If you want a one of a kind dinner experience, try this place. We absolutely loved it. Family style seating with exquisitely prepared, fresh as it gets, local dishes. Every bite was was well thought out with complex flavors. You won't be disappointed. read more

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Delicious food in a unique setting. Would definitely do again when in the area. A great way to connect with other visitors. Remember your bug spray!! I came home with 8 mosquito bites on my legs. All in all, a fantastic experience that I'd love to do again sometime in the future. read more

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Food Rating: 7/10 Overall Rating: 6/10 Verdict: Restaurant has great potential due to the concept and ambience, but at the end of the day the dishes flat - certainly not worth the price for the meal. Overall Breakdown: * Flavor: 3/5 * Creativity: 2/5 * Price: 2/5 * Ambience: 5/5 * Service: 4/5 Summary: The idea of Kauai Ono is fantastic - 5 course farm-to-table dinner with cozy family seating set outdoors on a beautiful ranch. However, the dishes quite frankly were disappointing, especially considering the $60pp price tag. The first dish, the highlight of the night, was a fantastic, flavorful, and creative Pulled Pork Papaya Salad. Unfortunately, from there it was downhill. The second dish was pan-seared Butterfish with ponzu - flavorful yet mine was over cooked. The tenderness of the butterfish was lost in the dish. The third dish, the most disappointing, was a mixed salad of local greens with a citrus ginger vinaigrette. Personally, I love ginger but in this dish it was overpowering to the point of bitterness. The fourth dish was pan-seared Blue Marlin with Okinawa Ube. The flavor was quite nice but given we already were served a pan-seared white fish, I would have appreciated more diversity. The final dish, was a cinnamon sugar coated butter mochi with a warm chocolate sauce. While fantastic, the dessert was not enough to make amends for the prior 2 dishes. For the quantity and quality of the food, $60pp was far too much. I appreciate the incorporation of local product into the menu, but wish that there was more creativity and consistency with the final result. Apparently the head chef was not in when I dined at Kauai Ono, so I plan on returning to give them another chance. read more

The flavors are good but we were served two salads, a small bite of meatball, a tapas serving of fish and a tiny dessert. I hate to knock any kind d of locally fueled business but they need to adjust their cost or provide a better experience. It's BYOB- pour the wine, talk to (and not at) the guests, add either one big entree or a couple small dishes. We all left hungry. Do something that makes the meal at value because tonight most certainly was not. We spend money on experiences and dining and I am rarely this upset about the spend on a meal. read more

It is good to see a new, good inexpensive place to eat in Hanalei. The kalua pork breakfast was supper yummy. The chocolate chip cookies were mouth-watering and melted in our mouths. The chef was also a really nice guy. It wasn't too busy when we showed up and the he spent several minutes talking to us about the food and his travels. If you don't want the fruit juices that they serve, walk about 100ft down the road to the liquor store and buy some drinks while your food is being prepared. read more

Kauai Ono - kalua pork breakfast - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

Great tacos! Lightly crispy corn tortilla shell, a lot of meat/fish, not too heavy but filling! Fish is grilled and bigger pieces than average taco portions. The pork is awesome! The optional sauces are also very good. And you can eat comfortably under a beautiful Avocado Tree! Find it on the way to downtown Hanalei, on the right past the Kayak rental place and before Tropical Taco (which is overpriced or what you get). Enjoy! read more

Kauai Ono - 1 pork taco and 1 fish taco. Delicious, filling, affordable! - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

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Make reservations in advance before arriving to the island - only available two days a week. The food and the service were both excellent. Priced well for a north shore dinner considering everything was harvested from the island. We had great conversation with people around us and would go again! read more

Kauai Ono - Caterers Near Me - Princeville, Hawaii

Ridiculously delicious and local. I'd tell you what to eat -- but it changes every time depending on what is fresh and available. Find them by turning at the Church of the Pacific and then go to the Ranch entrance. Look for the big tent. read more

What this is; a unique outdoors experience on the North Shore of the island. Incredibly well prepared food and garnishing's for each course. BYOB and limited wait staff. A set menu, super tasty, quality, perfect temperature, interesting. Highlight! A social experiment - the pleasure of meeting other people sitting next and around you. What this is not; a typical indoor restaurant environment, a variety of selections of food/drinks, pairing of wine menu or One waitress for every table. If you are interested in a one of a kind experience, however, this setting is for you. Be prepared for something unusual yet refined. Don't freak out - bring some bug spray and a bottle of wine. Plus your happy face :-) Enjoy this for what it is! read more

Good eats & a fun evening! Fresh farm to table food and worth the price. Make reservations ahead of time! Bring your own beverage if you'd like. Bring bug spray too as you're eating outside at night. very tasty!! read more