Delicious and fresh food. Made to order so a short wait but worth it. Sat on a table just outside the order window. Grilled shrimp tacos were delicious and were the daily chalkboard special. Small local spot you must stop and have a bite! read more

Mermaids Cafe - Order door! Great grilled shrimp tacos. They were the daily chalkboard special and we were hungry. - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

My boyfriend and I love this place for their wraps but we tried something new. Can't help but laugh at these tourists giving a bad review on mermaids. Nothing but a Debbie downer but you know people have time for these kinda slander these days. This place has been here for ages and they do not disappoint both in food and service (lovely people), if you're ordering a black bean burrito I'd say your taste in food is already naturally bland to begin with (ask for recommendations) and you could just ask for extra sauce. And I've been coming here long enough to know that they'd tell you that you gotta wait as it's usually packed and plus there's usually one or two cooks so do the math people. My favourite items on the menu would be, the AHI NORI WRAP, especially when it's seared wrapped in brown rice shoyu and cucumbers and that wasabi cream sauce really brings it all together. My second fav is The POKE SALAD/BOWL is absolutely delicious, if you're looking for a freshly cut/made saucy poke here's the spot besides Pono market! What I love about this place is that they cut up fresh fish everyday, and they'd come up with specials like the poke tostadas I posted/coconut shrimp tacos and stuff. Sometimes they aren't open which sucks cos you already know what you wanna have for lunch but you know what they open when they open and I believe that when you catch them it's meant to be. As for the drinks I really dig their lilikoi water and freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (wish it was on the menu all the time) and for something sweet the Thai Iced tea with coconut milk. Anyways can't wait to try their anahola wrap heard from a buddy its back on the menu after awhile and he said it was fresh! Hopefully this helps you guys when you're ordering at mermaids, much love aloha HERE ARE MY RECOMMENDATIONS : 1. Ahi Nori wrap sometimes they have ono too 2. Poke Salad/bowl 3. Peanut satay wrap 4. Sesame stir fry noodle 5. Their coconut shrimp tacos 6. Lilikoi water read more

Mermaids Cafe - SHRIMP TACOS!!!! WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Best meal I've had in a week on the island! The poke salad is to die for! Mermaids is super quaint and cute spot to stop for a bite, tasty food too! read more

Mermaids Cafe - Poke salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

A staple. Everything from the fresh ahi, to the homemade sauces. This is our favorite place to eat and get that real Aloha vibe every time!

Amazing food!!!! The ahi nori wrap was delicious!!!! Super great customer service, I am so glad I was able to support a wonderful small business!! The ambiance is really incredible, in the little beach town. Ahi Nori Wrap read more

Great place to grab a bite! The wait is a little long but the food is cooked to order and worth the wait. I highly recommend the Ono Wrap. On the menu it is the Ahi Wrap but Ono can be substituted if you ask. read more

The food is delicious! We had the poke bowl and shrimp tacos. Lots of flavor and delicious! So glad we tried it

Best food I had in Kauai. Simple, delicious and GREAT housemade sauces! Randy is an awesome guy - owner and chef! He has great vibes and it transcends through every bite! Support local and Mermaids is the spot! Much happiness read more

Mermaids Cafe - Poke salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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The coconut curry with tofu was a vegan life saver for me when in Kapaa. it was delicious and soothing to the spirit, a very healthy vegan alternative. I saw many vegan and vegetarian offerings on the menu. The staff was always friendly and helpful. This cafe definitely has a loyal following. One thing to note for nearly all the cafes of this kind in Kapaa is that there are very limited restroom options. When we were in Kapaa, the only bathroom for many restaurants to share was out of business. My husband also thought the coconut curry was delicious. This coconut curry with tofu is a great way to ge more coconut and veggies into your lfe. This dish also can be served with meat, and several other dishes were with ahi or meat. read more

Mermaids recently opened back up, finally! Such an amazing hole in the wall in the town Kapa'a. Food is always great! Go check them out! My favorite was the special Wasabi Ahi Tacos. read more

Healthy & delicious wraps! The first time that I came here was in 2003 or 2004 when I was visiting Kauai on vacation & drove here from Hanalei since I loved their ahi nori wrap. Since I was a huge fan of their ahi nori wrap, I made attempts to recreate it when I went home to San Francisco. Chunks of seared ahi, brown rice, nori, cucumber & wasabi cream in a spinach wrap. Yum! Fast forward to 2018, I live in Honolulu & am visiting Kauai for work & relaxation afterwards. I wondered if my favorite ahi nori wrap was still open in Kapaa & searched for them on Yelp & found them. Yay! I went there tonight for a quick casual dinner & it was still so good. Prices have increased since 2003 so the ahi wrap is about $15.95. Good sized & very tasty. I might be back again before I leave. Outdoor seating is available. Only street parking is available. read more

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Inconsistent hours of operation. Not sure why hours are even listed if it doesn't open at the time listed. Tried twice on different trips and no luck read more

No bueno- Yeah 1 star - they made the order wrong the first time, we ordered a peanut tofu wrap & they gave us a peanut chicken plate. Then when we got the wraps made the right way they didn't have salsa on the black bean wrap or anything that was supposed to be on the tofu wrap besides the rice & sauce & tofu. Sauce was basically flavorless besides a greasy peanut butter taste read more

Mermaids Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Stopped by here around 3:50 pm and we got lucky they happen to just open when we arrived so they needed about 15 minute to get the shop ready before taking orders. We got AHI NORI WRAP and AHI POKE SALAD and EXTRA SAUCE. Both are made with wasabi cream sauce so they are pretty similar but salad had way more greens and the wrap only had little bit of cucumber in it. The flavor was very simple, typical wasabi mayo. The ahi was super fresh and every bite gave me that spicy kick on the nose. My sister got the wrap and she said it was too spicy as she's not a fan of wasabi. The wrap was similar to basic ingredient sushi burrito and she wished it had bit more veggies and flavor other than strong wasabi taste. read more

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Hope it's good....waiting 45 minutes for a sandwich. No sandwich is worth waiting this long. Try other nearby awesome places. Got our food (there were only two other order in front of us). Meh. Still want our time back. Just some seared tuna pieces on a sandwich...45 minutes later. read more

Mermaids was the very first food, actually the very first stop that we made in Kauai once we landed in Lihue. They were located at a convenient stop near our first hotel, and had parking at the time right outside. The cafe itself is closer to a shack than a restaurant, but what they lack in square footage, they make up for in quality many times over. We were one of maybe four other couples dining there when we arrived, and were the only ones waiting to order. The team behind the counter were two wonderfully friendly ladies who both took orders, served, cooked, and cleared. On our first visit, I ordered the Ahi Nori wrap, but they were out of Ahi at the time, so they substituted Ono (wahoo), which made me sad until I tasted it and it was AMAZING. Darling man ordered the Sesame Noodles, and we split a Coconut Milk Thai tea. My Nori wrap was a beautiful seaweed nori, spread with brown rice, avocado, cucumber, Ono, and wasabi sauce, all wrapped in a spinach tortilla. This came with a side of pickled ginger, but I was so engrossed in the delight I was savoring with each bite, I wholly forgot about the ginger. The Thai tea was creamy, strong, and just a touch sweet, and a perfect pairing for the spicy wrap. Sesame noodles, though very generously portioned, were to me a little on the boring side. Darling man enjoyed the noodles, took the rest to the hotel, and had leftovers enough for a few snacks. On my last day in Kauai, I though it poetic to return to Mermaids for one last hauntingly delicious wrap in hopes for it to come this time with ahi, and I was in luck. I had the wasabi nori wrap with ahi this time, and it was just as good as the tender Ono, if not better. This was absolutely one of my top ten favorite foods on the whole island, and we definitely ate our way through most of Kauai. Mermaids brings island flair with a multicultural approach, blending ingredients and flavors as diverse and delicious as Kauai itself. This cafe isn't just good in comparison to the rest of the island, or even compared to the rest of Hawaii, but I could see it thriving in other places and holding its own in virtually any popular California coastal town. Delicious, and I will absolutely return when I come back to Kauai, because Mermaids is not to be missed. read more

Mermaids Cafe - Coconut thai iced tea - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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A local spot, a hidden gem, a hole in the wall..whatever you want to call it..IT SERIOUSLY IS THE BOMBBBB..It gets 2 thumbs up in my booook...Our Kayak tour girl told us about this place so on our way back we spotted it and decided to check it out..it was superrr packed and this place is super small.. I ordered the Chicken Focaccia..it was served on a freshly baked focaccia with pesto aioli, cucumber, organic greens and red onions..and this suckerrr was hugeee and not to mention to dieee for..the pesto aioli and focaccia was sooo good..and the chicken was melt in your mouth hot..you can defintely tell that this place uses fresh ingredients, everything tasted delicious!! I wish we could've came back another time but it was already time to go...I wish we had one in California..would definitely go back in a heartbeat..shooot would eat here everyday next time I'm in Kauai. :) read more

Mermaids Cafe - foccacia chicken sandwich...so good - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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15/15 ONO! Amazing every time!!!!! The mermaid sandwich is to die for!!! They also have amazing poke and their specials are always delicious as well! My husband and I always make this our first and last stop when coming to the beautiful island of Kauai! read more

Located in Kapa'a on Kauai is this local favorite made tourist attraction. It's a order at window and sit or grab it to go type of place. There are a few tables curbside. A real 'hole in the wall' gem of a place. Service, ehhh it's whatever. The girls could plaster a smile on their face. Vegan, Vegetarian, and meat-friendly items available. Food is good but overrated from all the raves I heard about it. *AHI NORI WRAP: Seared ahi (got it rare) is delish. Stuffed with too much rice, that and the creamy wasabi sauce made my wrap fall apart. Yummy green tortilla. *TOFU SATAY WRAP: Once again the yummy tortilla enclosed the huge wrap stuffed with tofu (mmm) and rice (too much again). A fork is recommended. 3.5 stars. Open 11-9 every day. CASH ONLY. read more

Mermaids Cafe - 1/2 tofu satay wrap & 1/2 ahi nori wrap - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Kelcie has brought back Mermaids....so stoked!! Always get the Ahi Nori wrap and it never disappoints. Thank you so much for the yummy grinds!! read more

Ahi Nori Wrap (rare) and the hibiscus lemonade was really good. Pictures: Ahi Nori Wrap - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/g9-vS0FzGEvgib_CWwKEug?select=3cYmVlm72Ubl5zpcT6miww Hibiscus Lemonade - http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/g9-vS0FzGEvgib_CWwKEug?select=jMUGceDVTHqkiu78-40WMg read more

Mermaids Cafe - ahi nori wrap - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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= DELICIOUS AHI WRAP = There are a bunch of mixed reviews for MERMAIDS CAFE, and like most Yelpers said, it is like a roll of the dice. It all depends on who is cooking in the kitchen. MERMAIDS CAFE is a food stand located on the side of the road. There are a few seats available by the stand, and 2-3 tables in front. However, the tables won't do you any good if it was raining and everything was dripping wet. ORDERED THE AHI NORI WRAP ($12) for lunch. It was absolutely delicious. My Ahi was seared perfectly, and I loved the wasabi kick in their sauce. Would love it even more if there are more fish in my wrap (but that's just the greedy me talking). Avoid peak hours. read more

Mermaids Cafe - Ahi Nori Wrap $13 - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Me and my girlfriend came to Kaua'i for a week and tried various places and Mermaids cafe was hands down the best place we tried, it was super delicious and the girl in the front I believe her name was Taija was super sweet! Definitely recommended the poke bowl and the poke salad! read more

Mermaids Cafe - Poke bowl and Poke salad - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

First, I have to say this was the spot my wife and I rushed over to as soon as we landed and rented the car. We were sad to find out it was closed for the day unexpectedly. But we came back the next day and they were open! I met the owner and one of the cooks there and they were both really nice. I love when a small place takes a few minutes to talk with me and cook the food fresh in front of me. I had watermelon juice with the ahi nori wrap again, it was so good I had to stop eating halfway so I could savor the last half and my wife had the hibiscus lemonade and chicken peanut satay wrap I took a couple of bites it was so good the peanut satay was thick and rich like peanut butter. This place is the best lunch spot!! read more

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Cute little hole-in-the-wall place with DELICIOUS seafood! I got the shrimp tacos and they were fantastic. Everything was so fresh and made to order in front of you. The owner is really great too - super friendly and takes care of you when you're there. Definitely a must-stop if you're in the area! read more

Good sized portions, healthy fare with picnic benches out front. Casual. Not cheap but cheaper than eating at a resort. Coconut curry w brown rice and choice of meat w plenty of cooked vegetables. Did not like the cooked ahi as it was dry. Would get it with tofu- or chicken next time. Organic salad w a variety of vegetables though not a variety of greens. Hibiscus Lemonade was refreshing read more

Mermaids Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

The vegan coconut curry plate was a great selection. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. You also cannot go wrong ordering the fresh squeezed lemonade. Everything is made fresh to order. read more

Mermaids Cafe - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Fish tacos are outstanding fresh and full of flavor and the service was EXCELLENT! Hubby had coconut curry, so delish.

Fought Kappa traffic 3 times to visit this place. Closed despite posted hours on website and their Facebook page. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME! No one answers phone and no message. Not even capable of updating their Facebook. Sad. We were so looking forward to a Ahi Wrap on during our visit. read more

I haven't written a review before so confidentially, but here we go: This place has the best food in Kauai. Their food is always fresh, their tacos and sandwiches are done just right. My favorite is their tuna, which comes out juicy and tasty. The owner is a nice guy.. the leftovers of the food supply of the day (if any!) goes to the hungry for free :) read more

Amazing Tacos except the waitress was was really grumpy and seemed angry at the universe!!! Go there for the their speciality tacos! read more

Mermaids Cafe - Chicken tacos - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Was bummed this place didn't live up to the majority of the raving reviews I read. The food was mediocre at best, and not to mention overpriced. Between my boyfriend and I, we ordered the tropical tacos and the kapa'a tacos to share. I was pretty excited because the tropical tacos sounded so good -- fresh ahi cooked in their special sauce with brown rice and jack cheese (yum, right?), but the fish was so overcooked. I couldn't get past the hard and chewy texture. I was not a fan of the "special sauce" either. Nothing special about it. The kapa'a tacos had chicken, cabbage, jack cheese and another unimpressive sauce, but they were better than the ahi ones. Still, they lacked flavor. I wouldn't come back for the food, but I'd maybe stop by for a watermelon lemonade or cold guava nectar flow. read more

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For such a small establishment, they were extremely busy when we got there around 1 or 2pm. With only two people working, it took about 30-40 minutes for me to place an order and get it served, due to the 5-6 tables that ordered in front of me. I ordered their Satay Wrap. It was fine, and was very filling, but I probably should have ordered something else as the flavors just didn't do it for me.... however, adding some sriracha to it definitely made it much better. I'd have no problem coming back here, especially if quite hungry (given the large sizes), but I'd opt to try something else....and would hope to get there when they aren't so slammed. read more

I really wanted to like this cute little, cheery outdoor cafe. Atmosphere was cool, with fun & funky murals, signs, etc. They were out of the first 3 drinks we wanted to order, but I'm a "go with the flow" kinda girl, so I was happy with my hibiscus tea. We ordered the ahi tacos, and a veggie (black beans & rice) burrito. It took quite awhile, but hey, we're on Kauai time, so no big deal. Good food is worth waiting for...except it wasn't. Both meals were SUPER bland. Absolutely ZERO flavor. Spouse had to salt her burrito to make it edible. I'm not big on salt, so I just forced down as much of my bland ahi tacos as I could & we both left very disappointed. The food's not cheap, so we had hoped for some flavor. The last time I had food that bland, I was visiting my dad at the nursing home. Just kidding, but you get my point. My hibiscus tea was good, and spouse liked the hibiscus lemonade (it wasn't really sweet, which she likes). While we were eating, a long line formed....and, barely moved. Several people left in frustration. Another couple walked by, and I overheard the guy say, "Don't eat there, unless you want to wait 5 hours for your meal." So, not sure if we just hit this place on an "off" day or what, but we won't be back. There are so many other great options around. read more

I love this place, excellent food, drinks, and service. Everything I tried was awesome and fresh but my favorite was definitely "Ahi Cilantro Wrap". They have fresh natural drinks as well, I liked their Hiberskees drink (which was caffeine and sugar-free) the best. They just cook with fresh materials. This small family-owned cafe is very welcoming, clean, and the service is superb. If you're in the area it's absolutely worth a stop! read more

The food is great. But they are very unreliable about being open. They have been this way for years. My optimism got me again. My money and I showed up, but they didn't. read more

Had the ahi tuna wrap, tasty but definitely lacking something, maybe spice? It was decent sized too with lots of veggies but for $18 it was definitely expensive and not really worth it. It has a nice awning with a fan and a nice breeze which helps a lot with the humidity. Can't say I'll return with the hefty price tag but it's a nice place for a lemonade. read more

Mermaids Cafe - Ahi Tuna wrap - Sandwiches Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Took an hour to make two wraps and two tacos (no-one ahead of us), I had the ahi wrap, was over cooked, tasteless and the cucumber tasted somewhat rank. Ended up in the bathroom with stomach cramps right after as did others in my group. Lemonade basically water. Didnt live up to the reviews at all sadly and I'm a little worried about my stomach as we get ready for the flight home. read more

The ahi nori wrap is amazing. Had it here in 2006 and again in 2022, and will we having it a couple more times before we leave.

Food was amazing, tried the tacos, ahi wrap and poke bowl. Super fresh and cooked our meal in-front of us. Definitely recommend this place