Smiley's Local Grinds was so good that we ended up eating here two nights in a row during our trip to Kauai. The first night, my husband ordered the prime rib special with mac salad and rice, which was basically his dream come true, and I got the loco moco, which I shared with my toddler. Everything was flavorful, comforting, and exactly what we were craving. We enjoyed it so much that we came back on our final night and ordered the galbi and lechon kawali. Once again, every dish was a hit. The proteins were flavorful and filling, and the mac salad deserves its own shoutout. It may be my favorite mac salad on the island. This is absolutely the kind of place we'll return to on our next visit. It's also conveniently located near the airport, making it a great first stop when you arrive or a last meal before heading home. A couple things to know before you go: parking was easy when we visited, but there isn't any seating. This is very much a pick-up-and-go spot. I'd recommend calling ahead and placing your order so you're not waiting around. Great food, generous portions, and the kind of local spot you hope to find when traveling. We'll definitely be back. read more

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Food: Food was really good. Did not have any complaints about the food whatsoever. I had the Loco Moco and my dad had the shrimp We both shared the Ahi...all of which were delicious. Service: Service was standard. I wouldnt say anything out of the ordinary. Food took a while as it was fairly busy. Tip: I would suggest calling in your order so that its ready by the time you arrive to save on time. Ambiance: This is not a dine-in establishment so not much to say about ambiance in general. We will def be back should we decide to visit Kaua'i again in the future. read more

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June 2026 There were two places recommended by the many locals. 1. marks place 2. Smileys Local Grindz On our last day, we stopped at smileys to grab some food for the airport. When we arrived, this cute lady worked the register . There was a HUGE line at 1145. Took us about 10 mins to order. 15 mins after to get our food. We ordered your classic plate lunches of chicken katsu, smileys chicken and loco moco. I also got the banana crème pie. The food was outstanding. The service was even better. Credit cards accepted! To go only. Parking plentiful. read more

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We tried a couple items from them and I would say the thing to order is the kalbi. That stood out the most compared to the other stuff. It does take about 15minutes once you order even if there's no line so I recommend calling ahead of time. There's also no seating there. You order from a pickup window and also grab the food from there as well. read more

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Best plates on the island! The shrimp is on point. I could go there everyday and eat cuz its that good. I just call in my orders and pick up the food. Service is great and fast. Unfortuanly you cant eat there cuz theres no seating but the parking lot is big enouhg to chill and eat in the car if need be. read more

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This is my first time at Smiley's as I missed it last time I was in Kauai. It's definitely a must! Very authentic local foods. My favorite is the Smileys chicken spicy. It's not very spicy but enjoyable. You order through the window and we received the orders quickly. There is no seating available but the restaurant is located in a plaza. Ambiance is more that you order and take out. I would def come back. Servings are huge! read more

From the moment we landed at Lihue, 5 people we met on our trip recommended Smiley's. We made a pit stop. Got there before a crazy crowd. Ordered the teriyaki burger deluxe with fries, and the garlic shrimp/chicken combo. Food and service were Kaboom . So close to the airport, should come here for first meal or back for plane food on return trip read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Eating Smiley's at our hotel - - living the dream - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Solid local stop Smiley's is one of those small, no-frills spots...more grab-and-go with no real place to sit, but that's part of the charm. It feels very local and unpretentious. I got the kalbi + garlic shrimp combo and it was exactly what I expected...flavorful, well-cooked, and satisfying. As someone who eats a lot of kalbi, I'd say it was good and hit the spot, even if it didn't necessarily stand out as the best I've ever had. Tim got the loco moco and said it was fantastic...rich, comforting, and everything you want from a solid plate lunch. Overall, a great, reliable local spot when you want something quick, tasty, and authentic without all the tourist hype. Would definitely come back read more

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Close to our hotel, and frequented by locals! Ordered one combo plate to share for dinner since all we've been doing is EATING on this getaway!!! The combo plate included chicken, hamburger steak, and kalua pork, white rice and mac salad. Winner! The hamburger steak was tasty and the gravy was smooth. Don't like all meat patties because it's tough. This patty was home made and delicious! And kalua pig is all the same, right? NO WAY!!! This kalua pig was different, better, with flavor most intriguing and inviting you to eat more! How amazing is that?! Even the chicken was ono. And the mac salad was fresh and full of flavor too. Usually, mac salad is not my thing, but I found myself taking more than one bite! Will definitely be back for more great food on our next Kauai adventure! Keep up the great cooking! Woo hoo! read more

SO GOOD. You need to stop by this place whenever in Kauai. Me and my boyfriend shared the Combo Shrimp and Kalbi plate. The sides were perfect for me! The Kalbi was amazing. It reminds me of my Korean Grandmas marinade so it tasted like home to me. Shrimp was great too. Not too oily and has lots of flavor and perfectly cooked. 10/10. We wanted to stop by one more time before we left but realized they were closed on Sundays.. until next time read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

So glad we hit this place up before rush hour for lunch. They seem to have a good following and I can see why. The portion is perfectly generous. My husband and I each got a combo plate of Kalbi and Katsu chicken--each was very good on their own but I feel like the katsu is under-salted while the Kalbi was way too salty...so eating them side by side felt like a strange exercise of adapting to the different sodium flavors. Also grabbed the ube cheesecake (good) and the banana cream (extremely yummy!!!). read more

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Feeling generous with the 4, pushed by the friendly service. Visited to get some lunch to take to the beach, and the setup is pretty straightforward. I had the chicken katsu, which was fine - I was eventually able to mix most everything around (though not as easy as one would like in the container). The best item ordered with us was, to our surprise, the bento box: a little bit of everything and then some, good variety and a hell of a deal. We got a slice of banana cream pie that was advertised at the register almost as an afterthought and it was sensational! If you've got room and the time for it, the pie makes for a good exclamation point for your lunch. read more

Long line, but worth the wait. Their system is well organized. Already couple of items on the day's special was already sold out. I had the pork chop with gravy and my husband had the salmon! Wonderful and plenty to eat! No dine in.. take out only (just in case you were planning on eating there) read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Line at Smiley's. - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Smiley's came highly recommended from locals. When we came in late after a delayed flight, we pulled in starving. My husband and I shared a mixed plate and both left feeling full. The price is high but considering the weight of the container and the amount of protein and the fact that it fed hungry adults, I have no complaints. My daughter had teriyaki chicken. And it was my favorite of all the meats we tried. Solid place for Hawaiian plates but only if you want takeaway. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Mixed plate and chicken teriyaki - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

We came here again to taste smileys chicken, garlic shrimp and kalbi ribs. This place is a small hole in the wall in a strip mall that is locally owned. The restaurant has a walk up window where you order takeout out. It was very popular with locals. The service fast and helpful. We loved the smiley's chicken with garlic chili sauce. Everything was very tasty. Plates had generous portions. We loved this place! read more

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8.5/10 Got the combo plate with garlic shrimp and garlic chili chicken. Shrimp and chicken were delicious. Only small complaints is that the rice was a little mushy and the chicken was not spicy at all for garlic chili sauce. But that's just me being nit picky. Definitely one of the best meals I've had here in Kauai read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

I spent nearly $200 at this restaurant and was disappointed by the level of customer service. I simply asked for an extra small container so my two young children could split one of the meals, but my request was refused. Instead, I was told I could "go to Walmart" to get one, which came across as dismissive and unprofessional. Additionally, there was a toddler in the restaurant who was repeatedly coughing, which raised concerns about cleanliness and the overall dining environment. Overall, this experience did not meet the level of service I would expect, especially after spending nearly $200. I hope management will address these concerns and place a greater emphasis on customer service and creating a more welcoming dining experience. read more

Came back here because I tried this last year. Tried the combo plate of ribs and shrimp. Food was delicious. Staff is friendly and attentive. My only complaint is I wish they had restaurant type of seating. Ate this on hood of my car, but was so delicious. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Front of the business, you can only order through the window. - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Just landed in Kauai and needed a quick bite near the airport. Found this spot and realized it's takeout-only, which was totally fine, we ate in the car with our boxes. Smileys Chicken - Almost like sauced-up popcorn chicken. Crispy, flavorful, and really enjoyable. (4/5) Loco Moco - I always have to get a loco moco whenever I'm in Hawaii. This one was solid and classic, about on par with others I've had. (4/5) Crispy Shrimp - We ordered a few pieces. A bit pricey at $2.50 each, but tasty and well-cooked. (4/5) Overall, a great spot for quick bites. I've had better food elsewhere, but I really enjoyed this meal, especially since I was starving after landing. read more

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Came here right when we landed and boy oh boy, it did not disappoint. We got the mixed plate, which includes smiley's chicken (garlic chili), hamburger steak and kalua pork. We also got a side of lau lau. The chicken was so so good. It was still crunchy, even with the sauce, it was crunchy crunch. It wasn't spicy and it wasn't too sweet. The kalua pork was good, a little salty for me but the hubs said it wasn't. So it depends on the person. The hamburger steak was flavorful and cooked well, not over cooked at all. The best item we had was the pork lau lau. I mean talk about melt in your mouth. It was THAT good. Like we wanted to go back again the next day and just keep eating it. It wasn't salty and it wasn't too fatty. It was just so delicious. The prices are a bit more than what we expected but hey, it's like that everywhere. There's a lot of items on the menu that anyone can try something new everyday during a seven day vacation. Great variety. There's good parking at their location. They make ordering and picking up easy. The owners and cashiers were super nice and efficient. We loved this place and the food. Definitely will be going back again and again. read more

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The only place open at night on the way back to the hotel... And it was a solid option for dinner! Had quite a wait as it was busy. Took around 30 minutes to get our food... Ordered a loco moco, a beef stew plate, teriyaki chicken, a cheeseburger, and fries. My son said the loco moco was good. Not as good as Marks, but good. 3/5 The beef stew was good with a good ratio of meat to vegetables. 4/5 The wife said the teriyaki chicken was ok. I tried it and it was decent. Not something I'd order again. 2/5 The cheeseburger and fries were good! Nice homemade patty and the fries were salted just right! Would definitely order it again. Honestly got this in case the beef stew was bad... 4/5 Great local plate lunch place that's open late. Worth a stop for a hefty plate lunch! read more

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This place was so amazing that we came back multiple times within a few days! The portions are huge and one entree is definitely enough to be filling for one person. We loved the garlic shrimp and the smileys chicken and reordered those two dishes multiple times! The line can be long but it moves fast! Definitely recommend this place highly! read more

Great first dinner on the island. There was a bit of a dinner rush, waited maybe 30 min total to order and get my food. But it was well worth the wait. I got a mixed plate and all of the items were so good! read more

Probably the best plate lunch I had on the island. Look forward to going again on my next trip.

I haven't come here in a while.So I decided to come here for lunch.I called to place my pick up order.They stopped doing dine in's since Covid.20 minutes later it was done.Friendly staff and the food was good!.I wasn't surprised.I got the Smiley's chicken n hamburger steak combo plate.I enjoyed it.I will definitely be coming back soon.. read more

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Looking for a true local island food? This place is recommend to me by a staff at one of the hotels I was staying at nearby. :-) Is a true local favorite with the locals. So favorite they still go old school and still accept cash. They don't have an indoor seating. You order right from the window to take to go for a picnic or to your home. I recommend getting their famous chicken or Kalbi. I even heard the prime rib is delicious here. It's so close to the airport you can take some to go with you on your flight back home. read more

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This was our first meal in Kauai and it certainly didn't disappoint! The order ahead option is a good idea if you're pushed for time, since the grab & go window takes a bit (but alas, worth the wait). I had the garlic shrimp (incredible) and chicken katsu plate that comes with the rice & Mac salad - insane. All so good! Highly recommend the garlic shrimp, they're fire. We also had the Kalbi short ribs which were amazing. Everything was so flavorful! I'd come back here again for sure the next time I'm in Kauai. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Garlic shrimp + chicken katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Good food but slow and not very generous. So the food was quite good overall. I'm more used to a plate lunch that actually gives me more for later. This one wasn't so generous. The line was long and very slow. It might be worth looking at more efficient ways to take orders to speed things up. Once the order was placed it took longer than expected to get the order. I don't really fault them for that part since it was very tasty. read more

Cool little walk up spot. Super cute, very friendly worker greeted us and took our order. We had just got off the long flight from Sacramento, so everything on the menu sounded good. I asked her to pick what i should get. So she ordered me some chicken, garlic shrimp, rice, and mac salad. And i threw in a banana cream pie because it sounded good. We ate it in the back of the Jeep because we didn't want it to get cold. MAN O MAN!!!!! It was SOOOO DELICIOUS. I'm going back on our last day here before we fly back. Also, I needed recommendations on a place to get coffee and a cool place to buy shirts for souvenirs and she helped with too. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Garlic shrimp, chicken (forgot what kind it was), rice and mac salad. - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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First meal when we landed in Kauai. Absolutely delisssh. It was order for to-go. Order at the window and wait til they call your order. Waited for just under 10 min. As soon as we got to our hotel, we got to trying this deliciousness. The chicken was v flavorful and the skin on was giving!!! If you like a good tasty, chicken then this is for you. We got two orders but honestly we could've shared just one combo plate because it was that generous. Amazing eats - would eat again!! read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Smileys crispy chicken with rice and Mac salad - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

The service i got was awesome. The technician Ely was friendly and explained everything he was doing. He did a great job. I was very satisfied. Thank you read more

Got the chicken and shrimp combo. Shrimp was very garlicky and chicken crunchy and juicy and lots of flavor. I creamed after eating the chicken tbh. It's a to go spot! Very convenient for pick up. Definitely would come back read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Very solid spot , portion sizes are a great amount, delicious taste and wallet friendly ! I ordered the KALUA + SMILEY'S CHICKEN combination plate which includes chicken long rice + lomi salmon. The kalua was super juicy, soft and exploding with delicious flavor ! The smileys chicken is basically fried chicken and also tasted great ! I wish i did opt in for the garlic chicken as it was a little bit more spicier and more flavorful. The long rice with lomi salmon was also delicious. Everything tasted very fresh and was very fulfilling ! I didnt care too much about the rice nor the mac salad as they are pretty standard. The chatsu plate was also pretty tasty. It tasted almost similar to the smileys chicken but more of a breaded crust outside as chatsu is suppose to taste like. Just an FYI there is no seating here so it is probably best to take it to a nice beautiful beach nearby to absorb the good vibes! The service was fast, exceptional and staff were very friendly. This is the go to spot if you needing some great takeout on the go. Very affordable, great service and huge fulfilling portion sizes. Needless to say this will be my go to spot whenever i am back on Kauai ! read more

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We got off the plane, picked up some goods from Costco, and were starving. My Yelp feed recommended Smiley's. And I tell ya, its probably one of the best recommendation of all-time in my book. We ordered two simple combos: ~ Smiley's Chicken entrée ($14.60, with garlic chili on the side). A big scoop of rice and mac salad. This was a great tasting "Welcome to Kauai" plate that I was dying to dig into! The chicken was perfectly cooked and had that crispy Hawaiian smell to it. Added that garlic chill and man was I in la la land! ~ Kalbi Ribs entrée ($23) with a big scoop of rice and mac salad as well. A typical combo. The beef was also perfectly cooked, or grilled in this case. It was well marinated and still tasty being late in the evening. We both had a "finally somebody made it right" moment. Things to note and why these guys deserve 5-stars: - We debated on coming here with less than an hour before closing, but took a risk. The lady that took our order was really helpful and nice. Kudos to the welcoming service. - It's a small hole in the wall, so don't expect to dine-in. Take it home (or sit in your car) and enjoy! - The menu is simple but common, and the prices reasonable. I wanted to try everything. - Definitely a hidden gem, and one of the best all-around in town! read more

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Amazing food. Worth the wait. I am sure to come back here again. The beef kalbi was tasty but the fried chicken was my favorite. The mac salad was fine. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Beef - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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Restaurant is located in industrial area, but the food is definitely worth the drive. They give big portions and for sure shareable specially if you have kids, you do have to pay extra for asking extra utensils but with the price of the food, everything makes up for it. also good to carry cash with you. I think sometimes their credit card system is down and they only take cash there are plenty tables and seats for their customers. They do encourage you to clean up after yourself. Which I am a fan of. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds was one of our favorite food spots during our stay in Kauai. We ended up going there twice! The place is definitely a hole-in-the-wall type spot and looks like it used to be a small dine-in restaurant that decided to stick with that same setup after the pandemic. Don't let the simple appearance fool you though, the food is excellent. We placed our order over the phone both times, and the food was ready right when we arrived, which made everything super convenient. Their kalbi ribs are top-notch, flavorful, tender, and cooked perfectly. Prices are a little on the higher side, but honestly worth the money for the quality and portions. Highly recommended if you're looking for great local food in Kauai. read more

So we came here because we saw it was some good reviews and everyone was just giving this place high remarks. So we tried it before we left the state. This... is some of the best we had the whole trip. We tried a couple of different Hawaiian bbq places and they were good... this surpassed them all for me. It's kind of a lil hole in the wall you come to the door to order and they make it, give it to you and you either eat in the car or take it home. I ordered the bbq plate I believe and my husband got the butter garlic shrimp. Heads up.... It's messy for that garlic shrimp. I would wanna eat at a table or somewhere to control the mess but my lord is this food so good. That mix plate... everything on it was perfect. If I could have my way I'd go there again and again to try all kinds of different plates from there. I recommend checking it out and trying it! read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Great option nearby our resort! Boxed lunch's and lots of different choices. My wife was craving the garlic shrimp. The shrimps were really well flavored. Most of it was stuck on the outside the shell. This type was more on the dry side, not as saucy but still delicious! I ordered the garlic fried chicken. Honestly, I was craving this the most as soon as I got to Hawaii. They did it right, fried perfectly and loved that they saved the chicken skin as well. Huge portion! I honestly say two people could share this plate. Overall, a good local spot. Will forusre hit all your needs. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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The amount of food they put into each bento box is crazy! You better be very hungry or you won't be able to consume them in one sitting! Garlic shrimps are so flavorful and the Smiley's Chicken reminds us of Korean fried chicken. If you go during dinner or lunch time, the line could get long and you'll have to wait for 20 minutes before you get your food. read more

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