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    Aina Kauai Restaurant

    4.5 (126 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndJapanese
    Closed Closed

    Aina Kauai Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    AINA KAUAI RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - Aina Kauai Restaurant

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    Matt I.

    Small well designed restaurant in the heart of Kapaa town. There's only one daily seating and reservations are required to dine. The chef's tasting menu was excellent and the dishes were delicious and well balanced. It is worth noting that the chef works alone, and thus patience is required between courses, however, the food is worth the wait. Overall very enjoyable experience.

    Brenda G.

    Absolutely W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L ! Service was impeccable and the ambience was just perfect. And we were blown away by the fresh and delicious creations that were made with such care and plated with beautiful artistry. Each dish was consistently delightful and each entree held a delectable surprise of flavor. So thankful for the dinner experience and grateful to the chef and his love and care for the island of Kauai and his sincere desire to use local and fresh food to create a Michelin star experience. We had a truly incredible evening! The chef is a tremendous talent.

    Malena B.

    Great dining experience! Extremely intimate setting, two person show, impeccable service. The food was great! Some of the best on Kauai for sure and we've been many times. I will try and find my way back when I return!! Make sure to try the sake pairing as well :)

    Tonight's Menu.
    Doug E.

    What a find in Kauai. This is an artisan restaurant. If you're looking for a crazy California roll, you're in the wrong place. Their effort, balance, ingredients and techniques are classic presentations of "authentic" Japanese food. No The meal is set omakase style where the chef guides you through what's fresh and seasonal. The starter was a whimsical shaved ice with lemongrass foam. After that the starfruit salad was amazingly great and the fruit itself popped with an apple like crunch. Next was sashimi that was beautifully presented and extremely fresh. The courses kept coming and eat dish not more than a few bites. The greens on the next dish were balanced and rolled sushi style and plated with a macadamia sauce that was robust with flavor. The heart of plam was presented in a dish with broth and would be a great stand alone for vegetarians. Moving into meats, the sous vide opah was as expected. Unbelievably succulent and seared to finish before serving. The yakitori was equally high quality with an amazing dipping sauce they combines creamy, spicy, salty and sweet. Amongst the best the island can offer. Don't forget the dessert. We ended with a light cream filled matcha jelly roll they was topped with chocolate. Served with a palate cleansing sorbet, this meal was worthy of the investment. New standard has been set here for authentic Japanese food prepared by a true artisan.

    The best food in Kauai, period. If you are a foodie this is the place for you. Innovative and bold food that is served by the chef/owner. The experience and quality are worth every penny. Date night? come here!

    Neave M.

    One of the best dining experiences I've ever had. The flavor combinations I experienced during this meal were indescribably good. The pacing was perfect, the pairings and sauces were perfect, everything was perfect. I was worried it wouldn't be enough food at first but every course is a reasonable size and I filled up way before the last one! Candace and Mitch were absolutely wonderful. The service and ambiance could not have been better. I cannot wait to visit Kauai again to dine here!

    M G.

    This restaurant should have a Michelin star, maybe two? No Hawaiian restaurant has ever had one to my knowledge, and I don't believe the judges come to Hawaii. In California it would most certainly have at least one star. Cedar was our server and mixologist and was great. The Kama'aina (his creation) may be one of the most delicious cocktails I've ever had. The owner who's name I didn't catch was also very sweet and attentive. He has created a beautiful restaurant and a lovely experience. We had a lovely meal. Wonderfully creative flavors and flavor combinations. A number of ingredients I have never had or tasted before. Posted as many photos as yelp would allow, but I am leaving a few dishes off. Looking forward to our next trip to Kauai so that we can return.

    Tempura
    Judy T.

    Amazing experience! The food was presented so beautifully and elegantly. Each dish had ingredients from the island with authentic Japanese taste and presentation. The quality of the food was top notch and delicious. The owner of the restaurant Mitch was very knowledgeable and friendly. We would definitely recommend this tasteful experience. We look forward to our next experience at Ainu Kauai the next time we visit Kauai.

    Some Japanese aoda
    Mark G.

    Lovely small Japanese place. Run by one dude - took your order and made and brought food. It was very delicious and quite refreshing.

    Jared P.

    Aina I believe would be awarded a Michelin star if Michelin visited Kauai to rate it. I'm a bit of a Kaiseki fan and when I saw Aina I couldn't help but make a reservation. They used many local ingredients to offer a traditional Japanese kaiseki experience, I found it to fall just a bit out of what my experience is for traditional kaiseki but I thoroughly enjoyed each course. My party consisted of myself and two well traveled foodie Australians and they both enjoyed the meal as well. We did take them up on the drink pairing and it was fun, unique and went quite well with the meal. Only tiny bugaboo I had, the contemporary decor left the place feeling quite cold.

    Dang appetizer, eggplant, bok choy

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    Business owner information

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    Mitch M.

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    7 months ago

    Exceptional ambiance, service, quality of food, and artistry. Mitch is a legend, he's a gift to all of kauai.

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    Really enjoyed eating here sitting in the porch overlooking the ocean. Good food, good value.

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    Ask the Community - Aina Kauai Restaurant

    How much do they charge?

    $145+ per person for their full course option

    Is this place kid friendly?

    The dining room is small and when we were there it was all couples dining with 1 table that had a small group of friends. The atmosphere and food is definitely adult-oriented, the course is pre-planned and there isn't a children's menu so I would… Read more

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - Aina Kauai Restaurant

    We slowly sipped the chilled sake as we indulged Chef Mitch's perfect 9 course tasting menu.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    Aina Kauai Restaurant - japanese - Updated May 2026

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