I hate to say anything unkind about an establishment that's clearly a long time staple and the epitome of the perfect dive bar, so I'll say it like this - go here if you want to hear some (local) live music, have a drink, chill with the locals. This is a locals' spot- everyone knows everyone, everyone's kind and welcoming. The staff have been there forever and are great. But don't come here for dinner. This was our mistake. There were two other Hawaiian bbq type places we tried to go to and both were unexpectedly closed so we ended up here and were so disappointed. I had the saltiest burger I've ever tasted and could not finish it. My husband got the surf and turf and said it lacked flavor. We should have known better as we walked in the door but our deep hunger won the battle and we stayed. And got what we deserved. Sorry. Again, come for some local music and drinks - leave the food. read more

The food Tri Tip BBQ, was awful. Undercooked, stringy and you could not even cut the meat with a steak knife. I would not serve this meat to my dog. Servers were nice though but were unaware of what they were serving. The ambiance was ok. read more

Walked in not k owing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised with a warm reception from staff, good music from Gene Fitz singing and playing guitar. Then came the food and drink. Had the tri-tip along with the ribs. Don't forget the ribs they are fantastic. The eclectic atmosphere provided covered outside inside options. Again the staff/family was great. Don't miss this place when in Kauai. read more

Paniolo Santa Maria Style BBQ - Great entertainment with Gene!! - Barbeque Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

This place was walking distance to our bungalow so we came for the evening music. It's a rustic comfortable atmosphere. Folks are friendly. Not a fan of the policy they have not providing ice for our byob. It was difficult even getting ice for our water. Everyone in the party ordered a full meal. Food was fair. I had ono my hubby had nachos. Fish was perfectly grilled, rice was cold and a simple salad and slice of bread. All good for me. Entertainment was fab! Sang fun songs and get the crowd involved. We will be back but mainly for the entertainment. read more

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Been coming here every time we come to Kapaa for the last 6 or 7 years, usually a couple of times each visit. Tonight was the last time, they seated us at a small metal table, asked the elderly lady up front if we could have a booth she snapped back at us booths are for parties of 4, we simply replied thanks and decided to leave she then started trying to argue with us...why argue we weren't upset just wanted a both. Food & service has always been great but I don't go for arguing, so you lost a customer tonight. read more

4.5 Stars?! I loved this friendly family run homestyle BBQ and live music joint, located right in downtown Kapaa. Indoor area is casual, covered in fun decor, and homey...outdoor is a fairly large stage, dance floor, and some more tables. This is one of the few places for night life and live music in Kauai! Food is good as well! $27 Surf N Turf...a perfectly grilled and well seasoned filet of moist fresh Mahi Mahi, and meat of your choice, which I got the tasty, meaty, Santa Maria seasoned Tri Tip. Cooked to about Medium, it was still tender and juicy. Also comes with rice, garlic bread, and tiny green salad. Best part of this place? It's BYOB! They don't sell alcohol, but you can bring your own! I ran over to the ABC store to get some $5 canned cocktails, yes please! read more

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WOW!!! THE BEST RECOMMENDATION I'VE EVER GOT. Tour guide suggested this place and it really was the best food I've had on the island. Very very good surf n turf. The wings were cooked to perfection, perfectly breaded. Fries were full of flavor, and BBQ chicken was moist and delish. The service was impeccable and the live music and decor of the place was very inviting! Please go and keep this place going!!!! read more

Dined in after a recommendation from a friend. Our server, Whisper, was amazing, provided some recommendations, and was very attentive. Food was delicious! I had the chicken dinner plate and my niece had the fish of the day. The overall vibe was relaxing and although there was no live music the night we went, we would have loved to come back another night to enjoy a performance. read more

Over the last 7 years my husband and I have eaten here several times each trip to Kauai. The food is delicious, the owners are amazing and serve their patrons from their heart. The music each night is fun and the variety offers something for everyone. Don't miss this gem in downtown Kapa'a. read more

Great atmosphere, typical highwiian prices but the food was sorely disappointing! The chicken was flavorless and dry while the pork ribs were not on the bone but instead chunks of meat that were also dry and flavorless. As an avid BBQ enthusiast I was very disappointed: if I cooked that up I would be ashamed to serve it, no exaggeration sorry to sau read more

We were so happy to find live music in kapaa! Really enjoyed East Coast Blues Band! You BYOB which is great! I don't know how they make money, but glad they're here! Husband had the "Senior Plate", which was boneless short ribs, delicious, with rice, salad and a tiny piece of garlic bread. I had a grilled cheese which had a whole big slice of green chile in it! Really good. Just be aware, if you take a bottle of wine, like we did, that they give you tiny plastic cups that hold about 2oz, so you can drink a lot if you're not paying attention-just sayin' read more

We were coming back from the far reaches of the North Shore and my lady suggested some bbq. She had seen the sign for Santa Maria Style BBQ the various times we've walked around Kapaa. We walked into the restaurant and was greeted by a nice lady at the host desk. We told her we were looking to order take-out and she handed us a couple of menus. We took a seat at one of the tables and despite us telling one of the servers we were just waiting to order take-out, they poured us ice water. That was really nice as we had been out all day. I went with the tri-tip steak sandwich ($14) and i got fries with it for an additional $2.50. The lady got the country style rib sandwich with onion rings for an added $3.50. The tri-tip was decent. It was a little tougher than I'd like... I like tri-tip and I had wanted it to be smokier and tender. The sandwich comes on a french style roll. Bbq sauce was served on the side. Salsa as well. I couldve used more bbq sauce for sure. Overall, it was just an ok tri-tip sammich for me. The lady liked her rib sammich. It comes with cheese, onions, bbq sauce and salsa. Live music was in the main room which was nice. Full band. Street parking only from what we saw. Service was friendly. Lady was sweet to us. read more

Joann, the Matriarch at Paniolo was friendly and welcoming when Chun P. and I stopped by for a visit. We chatted about travel, and we compared stories about Venice - her family had recently returned from Italy! The food was delicious, I loved my skirt steak, black beans and rice, fresh salad and bread! The music scene was hopping on the patio, we sat inside for our dinner and enjoyed Cutwater Spirits Craft Cocktails procured from ABC next door. Definitely add it to your list for a fun night out in Kapa'a! read more

Paniolo Santa Maria Style BBQ - Tri Tip Steak* - Barbeque Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

I love the food and the music entertainment too. The servers are great and helpful. Great music and great food!

My grilled cheese wasn't cooked at all. The bread was almost soggy. The tri tip a friend got was fatty and barely edible. The only good part was the live music. read more

First onion rings were so yummy. My husband loved the burgers. Great live music. Our server was super sweet. Unfortunately the second we went she had gotten sick and went home but otherwise a very down to earth family place. read more

Great atmosphere and good food. The owners were so nice. We had a great time. The live music was wonderful. read more

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Great food. Good service. Outstanding entertainment. Casual island vibe. Love this place.

I really wish I would have e taken a picture of this plate. Double meat plate got tri tip with bbq ribs, RIBS WERE GREAT!!! The BBQ sauce was perfect. Really enjoyed dinner tonight. Thank you read more

The burgers are where it's at!!! You won't go wrong ordering a burger. Great seasoning and we typically aren't burger people. The tri tip was cold and there was the thinnest layer of meat. The sampler plate had a tremendous amount of fat on the boneless pork ribs. Stick with the burger! It's a definite win! read more

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good service thats about it. food was not great, i tried the ribs which i saw were recommended online unfortunately the ribs were painfully mid at best. simply this place is not really a place to eat but a spot to attend an event. overall very unremarkable. read more

This is a hidden gem and a must visit while in Kauai. Amazing live music, best spicy margaritas EVER! Best bbq and warm hospitality. We will def be back on our next trip! Mahalo Diaz family read more

I had the ribs and tri-tip. Both were very tender and delicious. Had live music on the patio which was very nice. Don't skip and miss out on this place!! read more

The food was flavorful. We enjoyed the senior dinner plate with tri tip, simple green salad, scoop of white rice and small piece of bread, bacon cheeseburger with fries and the rib plate. Generous portions. Service was friendly. The singer was very good but at times conversation was difficult so we just tapered down the talking and enjoyed the music. Definitely will return on our next trip to Kapa'a. Mahalo nui loa! read more

Cute little place with great BBQ. Nice stage to see local music as well on the outdoor patio.

We got to the restaurant when it was not busy at all. Waitress and staff we all talking and ignored us for awhile before finally seating us. The table has sticky clear vinyl tablecloth. We both got burgers. The food was very good. Burgers super thick & juicy. The staff never checked on us... we ran out of ketchup for the fries almost right away (they bring a tiny paper cup with your ketchup) So over all .... Food was very good, but staff and ambiance not good. read more

Paniolo Santa Maria Style BBQ - Inside seating - Barbeque Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

For the BBQ! The smell coming outta here is intoxicating. That is if you like smoked meats! The place was absolutely dead when we showed up about 30 min to closing. Monday night in Kapaa! Well thanks to the saxy sounds of DOC who kept us and a young couple dirty dancing in the corner entertained while we waited for dinner. I wasn't very hungry but ate a tri tip taco. Let me tell you something;they claim their tri-tip is the best. I would not argue with them! I regretted only getting a taco! That meat was smoky tender, and with a splash of their BBQ sauce, I was transported to KC Joes in KC Missouri! Yep I remember the complexity of their BBQ sauce being the perfect foil for that smoke-a -licious cut of Kauai beef. They don't serve alcohol but you are welcome to BYOB. read more

Paniolo Santa Maria Style BBQ - Dah spot - Barbeque Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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"'Ohana" means "family." "Family" means "no one gets left behind." But if you want to leave, you can. I'll remember you though." -Lilo The warm sense of Ohana and Aloha flowed through every fiber of this humble BBQ joint and music venue. This was one of our top 2 (the other is Tahiti Nui in Hanalei) favorite places we dined while in Kaua'i over the course of 12 days. This is, truly, a family-run business. Grandma runs the counter, the boys run the kitchen, Grandpa plays with his grandson while they all take turns watching the incredible live music set in the perfect outdoor venue. Oh, and the BBQ is also amazing! Not only had I never had "Santa Maria"-style BBQ...I didn't even know it was a thing. Shame on me. It kind of reminds me of the hybrid-style BBQ my parents made for us going up in FL. You don't get to pick your sides: you get every side! The sides are also much more "fresh" than Texas or Southern style BBQ's. All the plates come with salsa and salad! It's also affordably priced. Not just for food on Kaua'i, but for BBQ in general. There are lots of generously-portioned dishes south of $20, a steal. Don't pay attention to names or outward appearances in Kapa'a, this is the real "Local" place to dine in town. read more

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The best tri tip my family has ever had! So tender and flavorful! Wonderful family run restaurant with amazing food!

Wonderful, fun atmosphere with live music! Delicious food, we had the ono fish and frito pie. Service very friendly!

The chili is tasty and spicy, but for the bbq meats themselves- I really wasn't wowed and neither was my husband. To be honest, I wouldn't even bother going back for round two. One was fine, but not worth a repeat. The chicken was incredibly dry and we went when they first opened, so should have been hot off the grill fresh. What the heck? The tri tip was decent enough, but for the price and the mediocre welcoming from the guy at the counter- the food was lack luster. As I chose this spot for out last dinner before we flew home, I had high hopes of it being more memorable than it was. read more

Paniolo Santa Maria Style BBQ - Outdoor area - Barbeque Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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We were skeptical coming here with the reviews not all being great, but we decided to risk it and we were not disappointed! The auntie who was our server was so sweet and helpful, along with everyone else we interacted with. The food was very very good, we started with the onion rings, which were so crispy and delicious. I had the tri tip streak sandwich which the meat was tender and had great flavor and the perfect spice from the peppers. My friend loved her pineapple burger and my mom enjoyed her steak. Great portions for price, and honestly best prices I've seen on island. Everything came out hot and fresh! We did the byob although they have a bar now so it's unnecessary if you don't want to pick up anything before hand. When we came very few tables were there but that doesn't take away from the fun live music! Overall I don't have anything bad to say about this place, it seems to be a family of staff here and I loved being able to come here and decided we loved it for ourselves:)! read more

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First things first. Paniola Santa Maria is not to be confused with Paniolos - they are two different establishments. We enjoyed our visit Tuesday nightso much that we are going back tonight. In fact, our food was some of the best we have eaten in our 10 days here on Kauai. I had the tri-tip steak sandwich. Oh so tender beef on a locally baked French roll. It is served with cheese and salsa. I didn't get the salsa and yet it was still flavorful. (The salsa looked and smelled delicious, I unfortunately can't eat salsa. I know, bummer, right?!) It is typically served with chips but you can get fries, a small salad or onion rings for an upcharge. I opted for fries. They came hot and crispy - a perfect accompaniment. My husband had the Big Mo Rib burger. I really can't tell you all that was on it but he didn't say a word for 15 minutes as he tried (and failed) to demolish it! He thoroughly enjoyed it. We already know that is what we are going to order tonight, but we also know that we are going to split it. PSM is a BYOB establishment - how nice it was to not have to pay overinflated prices for a mediocre bottle of wine or glass of beer. (I can bring my own mediocre wine thank you!) There is an ABC store next door if you forget or need a little more beverage. They have live entertainment Tuesday through Saturday. The band on Tuesday had the entire place dancing. The crowd was large, especially for a Tuesday. This place is super casual and most of the tables are picnic tables but I strongly recommend reservations. The only negative, and this is just my opinion, I don't really see this as a family restaurant. There was a family with young children sitting next to us. They obviously were out of place and left immediately after eating. As much as I love this restaurant, I don't think I'd bring my preteen nieces with me. Finally, this is a family owned and operated business. It is a local hangout - everyone knew everyone yet they welcomed us visitors. It was just a great experience. Make sure this is one of your stops while visiting this small town! (Update. We did visit Thursday night and ordered the Big Mo Rib burger. We also ordered a side of Frito pie (definitely a meal, not a side). No kidding - it took three of us to finish the burger and my husband and I couldn't finish the Frito pie. It was just as good as before - if not even better. The band was more mellow and the crowd not as large nor as rowdy but it was still fun. Another great evening had by all!) read more

I recommend the Paniolo for its local atmosphere, live music, outside dance area and any food that is not fish. We ordered the Ono sandwich and Ono salad. Both were overcooked to a rubbery consistency. My wife would not allow me to send it back. It you want the best fish go to the Hukilau. The fish there really is ono! read more

Paniolo Santa Maria Style BBQ - My wife and I in the restaurant - Barbeque Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

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Food wasn't the best. Fairly bland. Chicken came out cold. Saving grace was the atmosphere. There is a server there who sang karaoke for a song and she was amazing!! read more

I was surprised at how tough the meat was. Music was great but the woman taking orders seemed so hostile to other groups of people. It was kind of weird. read more

Great food! I ordered the ribs and they were delicious. Everyone in my party was happy with what they ordered too so you can't go wrong with whatever you decide to have. There was great music and it's definitely a locals place. Everyone was dancing and having fun! read more

Paniolo Santa Maria Style BBQ - Country Style Ribs - Barbeque Near Me - Kapaa, Hawaii

Food was not great, service was terrible- the server never brought our drinks and told us he didn't take a drink order after our food had already came, staff was rude, food was burnt, live music was so loud we couldn't hear the people next to us. read more

Got seated and was brought a used orange juice plastic bottle with water and 3 or 4 pieces of ice in it and 2 plastic cups for our refreshments and was told if we wanted something else, we could walk to the store and get it. Had to walk back to the cashier to order. No service, only delevery of your order. Did not like the sandwiches we ordered. Onion rings were ok, burnt but ok. Came home and had a bologna sandwich. Will not go back. read more

We come to the island every year during the winter, and this is always at the top of our list of places to head to. The food is phenominal, service is always above average, and the live bands are great. My wife (even she says, she is picky) can find nothing to complain about. Amazing, right. We have taken many groups of people there through the years and no complaints out of them either. If you don't plan to get up and dance, you might want to take a small cushion to put where you do sit as not all seats are not padded. That is an easy fix. read more