best places to eat in lihue

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When it comes to finding the best places to eat in lihue, you have a lot of choices. Depending on whether you’re looking for an upscale restaurant or a fast food joint, in addition to your price range, you may want to look into what type of cuisine will satisfy your craving. With the abundance of restaurants that can be found in Lihue, it is really challenging to pick the best place to eat. What makes one restaurant more special than another? There are a lot of things that you can use to compare and contrast the restaurants. Whether it’s the ambiance, food or even service you can use different things to determine which is the best place to eat in Lihue.

Best Places to Eat in Lihue

While visiting Kauai, you’ll want to make sure you’re taking advantage of the island’s local flavor and cuisine. Here are some of the best places to eat in Lihue:

Kauai Grill: This restaurant is located in the Kapa’a Shopping Center, which is just a couple minutes from the Lihue Airport. The restaurant has an upscale atmosphere with an open kitchen, so you can watch your food being made. You’ll find everything from steak and seafood to vegetarian dishes on the menu here.

The Beach House: Located right on Kalapaki Beach, this restaurant has beautiful views of the water as you dine on their fresh seafood dishes. They have both indoor seating and outdoor seating available depending on what time of year it is (when it’s too hot outside they will close up shop). Their menu changes daily based on what fish are available at market that day!

Coconut Marketplace: Located next door to Kukui Grove Shopping Center (where there are many other popular restaurants), this food court has a variety of different options for all types of diets including vegan/vegetarian friendly options as well as gluten-free options too! They even have a dessert bar with both sweet

If you’re looking for the best places to eat in Lihue, HI, look no further. We have a list of our favorite spots below!

This restaurant is not only delicious but also serves as a great place to hang out and catch up with friends. It’s the perfect spot to grab dinner after a long day of exploring or shopping at the mall.

This restaurant has amazing views of the beach and serves delicious seafood dishes that are sure to leave you wanting more. The menu is inspired by local ingredients, so make sure to try some local favorites like poi, lomi salmon and kalua pork when you visit!

This spot is known as one of the best places for poke bowls on the island. You’ll definitely want to make sure you order one of these tasty treats while you’re here!

best lunch lihue

As the busiest town on the island of Kauai, Lihue is home to a delightful selection of wonderful restaurants. Here on the east side is where you’ll find many upscale eateries, many in the large resorts. Lihue is were you’ll find the majority of hotel buffets on the island, as well as several lovely eateries serving locally sourced produce and meats. There’s great food all over Kauai, but Lihue is the central area for more formal eateries.

Newly revamped Gaylord’s at Kilohana is one of the top restaurants for a romantic ambiance and locally sourced ingredients. With much of their produce grown on the on site farm, Gaylord’s offers a fresh meal and dancing under the stars.

Resting on the beach with full ocean views is Duke’s Canoe Club, a local staple serving Pacific Rim dishes and tropical cocktails. Named after the famous Hawaiian Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku, Duke’s is one of those places that a favorite with locals and visitors alike.

At Kauai Pasta you’ll find a blend of top notch restaurant offering traditional Italian food with a bit of after nightlife fun. Two locations on the east side shows the restaurants popularity.

For a mix of tradition, history and fun, make reservations for the Grand Hyatt Luau. Entertainment and tons of food make this a great night, Hawaiian style.

So have fun with our guide to the ten best restaurants in Lihue, and enjoy your culinary tour of the island.

NAUPAKA TERRACE BREAKFAST BUFFET

Naupaka Terrace is nestled inside of the Aqua Kauai Beach Resort, and is a naturally bright venue offering local cuisine and gorgeous Hawaiian scenery. The plantation-style restaurant features creative Hawaiian and Pan Pacific cuisine, Asian inspired dishes, fresh island catch, aged beef, salads, and pastas. Sitting on the terrace offers views of waterfalls, fish ponds and native foliage. Breakfast is served daily 6:30 to 11 a.m. and offers an all-you-can-eat buffet or and a la carte menu. Dinner is served daily 6 to 9 p.m and features steak and seafood entrees and local favorites with a Polynesian, Hawaiian and Asian touch. On Saturday evenings guests can enjoy our popular seafood buffet.

NAUPAKA TERRACE ASIAN DINNER BUFFET

LIHUE

CAFE PORTOFINO

Awarded for creating some of the island’s best cuisine, Cafe Portofino also graces diners with an open air setting and soothing views of Kalapaki Bay and the Kauai landscape. The menu focuses on northern Italian dishes, and you’ll find sweetbreads, rabbit, osso bucco, and fresh seafood to tempt your palate. The range of pastas is also satisfying, as is the substantial antipasti selection. An outdoor deck affords the best vantage point for the beautiful scenery, and live music adds a pleasant detail to a terrific dinner. The owner and chef is a genuine Italian, which shines through on the quality of food.

GRAND HYATT KAUA’I LUAU

POIPU

This hotel-sponsored luau provides a healthy dose of spectacle, music, and authentic Hawaiian foods. The evening show, Havaiki Nui, begins with a torch-lighting ceremony on the edge of the ocean, heralded by the call of the conch shell. As it progresses, the luau showcases native crafts and costume, along with music and dance performances from cultures throughout the Pacific. The menu includes traditional fare like kalua pig, fresh fish, lomi salmon, and haupia (coconut pudding). Huge luaus are a traditional Hawaiian celebration that locals still practice. Luaus are commonly held for first birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and often for graduation parties.

KUKUI’S POOLSIDE RESTAURANT AND BAR

A relaxed, poolside setting characterizes this hotel restaurant, favored by guests and frequented by other diners, too. Located at the Marriott in Lihue, the comfortable place features a menu whose inspiration is culled from Polynesian and Asian culinary traditions, with a few other sparks as well. Breakfast and dinner maintain the theme of delicious food and attentive service. Just a few short minutes from the cruise port, Kukui’s is easily accessible for those spending the day on land, and taking a break from the cruise ship. Enjoy the sun and ocean while sipping on a cocktail and explore the luxurious grounds of the hotel.

unique restaurants lihue

JJ’S BROILER

LIHUE

Photo courtesy of JJ’s Broiler

Kalapaki Bay makes a stunning backdrop for this lively restaurant, which is popular with visitors to eastern Kauai. The outdoor deck offers terrific ambiance, although the maritime-themed interior is inviting on its own. Ocean-fresh seafood is a delicious standard and includes ahi and crab napoleon, baked lobster tail, sauteed scallops, and coconut shrimp. Pastas also find a ready audience, as does the signature slavonic steak, thinly sliced and dressed with a sauce of wine, butter, and garlic. Other possibilities include lamb chops, beef medallions, pork ribs, and cold-smoked Cornish hen. JJ’s has a pure chart house feeling with sailboats hanging from the ceiling and fish everywhere.

DUKE’S CANOE CLUB

In tribute to Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaii’s renowned swimmer, surfer, and Olympic athlete, this casual restaurant offers patrons a bit of island culture. An indoor waterfall, live Hawaiian music, and fresh local seafood are among the attractions that have folks returning again and again. Lunchtime brings quesadillas, burgers, pizza, and sandwiches, while dinner offers steaks and an abundance of just-caught fish, prepared to your specifications. An incredible salad bar also pulls in patrons, and the hula pie, a house special, is not-to-be-missed. Lunch here is amazing, but if you’re looking for nightlife this is a great spot too, live music and dancing after dark.

GAYLORD’S AT KILOHANA

LIHUE

The flavor of old Hawaii runs strong at this circa-1930 Tudor estate, which was once the home of a sugar plantation executive. These days, the mansion and its surrounding 35 acres have been opened to the public as a series of quaint shops and this delightful restaurant. The dining room affords wonderful views and also allows diners to indulge in such fare as fresh seafood, steaks, lamb, and kalua pork. Lunch adds in lighter dishes, including sandwiches and salads, and the courtyard makes an ideal place to relax with a cool drink and good company. As one of Kauai’s more upscale eatery, Gaylord’s is perfect for a date night or nice family dinner.