I've been a loyal customer since BarAcuda first opened, and was extremely disappointed in the downturn of quality and service since it has changed ownership. The cucumber salad was drenched in dressing that gave me a sore on my tongue after a few bites with way too much vinegar. Historically there were great bartenders working there, but not when we went in. ZERO Aloha. I was afraid to ask for anything because the attitude was so bad, so I dared not say anything about the salad, super bad vibes. There were several things about our experience that were really bad. We were in a great mood when we arrived and left miserable and out of a lot of cash! With the inflated pricing and attitude, very sad to say we won't be back : / read more

Great food and service. Wonderful cocktails as well. Look forward to coming back! Location and decor were Forest rate as well

Such a fantastic dinner to celebrate our family trip to Kaua'i!!! We ordered almost everything on the menu, seriously. Every single tapas dish was incredible!! Finished it off with a glass of vintage port, French press coffee, and cheesecake to share. The fish was just perfect, the pizette was wood fired deliciousness, the honeycomb cheese plate was awesome, the cocktails were loved by all... We made reservations a month prior - so be sure to plan ahead! Definitely visit BarAcuda when you come to Kauai! Mahalo for the wonderful evening! ‍ read more

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We have been going to Bar a Cuda for 15 years. It is very good but increasingly impossible to get a reservation. We give up. You can't email them, dates on their web calendar are wrong and when I left a message 2 days ago no onebothered to call back. After 15 years it is too hard to get a reservation at Bar a Cuda. Life shouldn't be this difficult. read more

This was the best meal we had on the Island. It's a Tapas Restaurant with the most unique dishes we've ever had. A RESERVATION IS REQUIRED AT LEAST 30 days in advance read more

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Get reservations! We were seated on time and the food was excellent! The service was a little slow, but friendly. The restaurant is beautiful and romantic. The food was excellent, maybe the best scallop I've ever had. If returning to Hanalei Bay, I'd put this on my list again. read more

Fantastic!! Great food, service and and ambience! Make your reservations early as it is a busy place!

By far the best food we had on the island but also super hard to get a reso and very pricy. Our two favorite dishes were the cucumber salad and the sea scallops. Those are a must have. Service was great and the drinks were well made. Would go back when visiting the north shore and want something upscale. read more

Great location and atmosphere, amazing food and excellent service. Best food on the north shore. Can't wait to go back!

Food was a lovely combination of known favorites done with a Hawaiian twist. Great service and ambiance was wonderful. We sat outside...inside was more dynamic, a bit loud, but great place! Highly recommend. read more

I must start off by saying we had the most delicious and amazing riblettes. So much so we ordered it twice. They are extremely tender and flavorful and served with a delicious olive aioli. Pro tip: order an extra rib for $7, it comes with 3, but there will be a fight for the 3rd. Also, we ordered bread (it was $1.50 but worth) to dip in the leftover aioli cause it's bomb. We also had the pizzetta, Hawaiian fish, and scallops. Those were also good, but the riblettes take the cake! For drinks I ordered the spicy hanalei mule (it has jalapeño simple syrup and it was quite spicy) Awesome and a bit pricey, but 100% worth it BY THE WAY: Shoutout to Miguel for being an awesome server! We loved your recs and humor! Thanks for making it a great meal read more

Bar Acuda - Hanalei Mule - Tapas Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

Bar Acuda was amazing, as always! From the hostess welcome, to pre-dinner drinks, to variety and quality of tapas, to wonderful waitress, to espresso martinis, everything was perfect! Looking forward to next time. read more

Made a reservation 30 days in advance and got last seating but the food did not disappoint

Great service. Good food. Good drinks. Wrap around porch outside and beautiful inside (but can get loud).

3.75 stars. We were able to secure a last minute reservation for 8pm thankfully as there was a sign that stated reservations required. The tapas menu didn't have any Hawaiian dishes but they did use a lot of local ingredients which I appreciated. We got the following (see pics for detailed ingredients) Cucumber salad- ingredients were fresh, the avocado and the goat cheese added creaminess and chick peas gave a good texture from its crunchiness. Octopus- very small portion for the price. I liked the grill and it's freshness but it was a bit rubbery. The squid ink w white beam was a good mix but I gave it away before my husband could finish it. Oops. Meatballs- not picture and not anything to rave alit. It was tough, dry, and a little too spicy for my liking. French lentils- a little small for its price but I liked the creamy and nutty flavor it provided. The kale and breadcrumbs added to the great dish. The bread- my husband loved it- "the star of the meal". It was soft and crunchy at the same time" the butter could have been salted. read more

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Exceptional meal. Everything was incredible from start to finish. When a cucumber salad is delicious, you know they are doing it right. Make your reservation as soon as the tables open 30 days in advance! read more

New York style service in paradise. That is RARE. Staff all pressed and standing tall with huge smiles on their faces ready to take care of us. Service and Management get a 10. Food was fresh, vibrant, and flavorful. Chef gets a solid 10 as well. Excellent work everyone. Best restaurant on the island, period. read more

Great food great service Drinks were good I know it's a tapa restaurant but a little bit more food 2 scallops $30 a bit pricey read more

New owner and you can tell. My favorite dish (the honeycomb salad) now is served with store bought crackers. Bring the bread back..... Bring the girl that made the bread back.....All the dishes are spicy so if you want it less spicy you need to ask. All tapa prices have gone way up since our trip in August. Scallops were still very good and cucumber salad similar to years past but chunkier. We tried to book a table exactly 30 days before and couldn't get a table. I guess you have to wake up at 3am which is silly. Get there at 5:15 and get a seat at the bar. read more

Excellent food and service but pricey. I would go back again and recommend. Have to make reservations way in advance

We came to one of our favorite places again this year! The menu wasn't as extensive as the previous times & we understand that Chef Christoph is no longer there. But it was just as wonderful. We had the Honeycomb which I was glad to see still on the menu. The Panzanella Salad was very refreshing. Next up was the Short Ribs which were so tender! And we ended with the Ono which was caught today by an employee & was prepared with awesome mushrooms. We had the same waitress as the last two years. Absolutely the best in Hanalei!! read more

Food is great! Service is always good. Ambience is nice. Cocktails and fabulous and wine list is good. What's not to love?!

Wonderful place in Hanalei in the north side of the island. We've been there at night and the vibe was amazing. We can't go wrong seating inside where they have a beautiful decor or outside. Great for a date, for a small group gathering or for an unpretentious / easy going meal. In sum, great place for any circumstance. The staff is super nice and the food is absolutely yummy. If I had stayed longer I would have gone there more times. One of the best restaurants in the island in my opinion! read more

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Food was good, but not worth the very high price. Drinks were decent, but not memorable. Waiters were polite. The main reason I rated it two stars is that they sat us on the porch, even though we reserved 30 days ahead. The website does say a lot of seating is on the porch, but it fails to say a lot of it faces a busy road, parking lot, and shopping center and that there's no music, decor, or anything to make the porch feel like part of the restaurant. They first sat us in a corner of the porch, next to the parking lot. It felt so bland, like we could have been anywhere. When I asked to be moved, they said they had nothing indoors and moved us to an area of the porch facing the shopping mall (my husband's awful view) and inside of the restaurant (my view). This was only slightly better because we could at least hear the music and see in the restaurant, but it kind of made it worse because we were ALMOST in the restaurant, but not. This was for an important anniversary, and if I'd known we'd be stuck on a bland porch, I wouldn't have gone. I still feel disappointed. They need to let you select indoors or outdoors when you reserve, or leave the porch seating for walk ins. It's just not acceptable. read more

I wasn't able to get reservation but still want to give it a try, so we arrived when they opened the door at 5:30. I came with my 3 years old who passed out in the car, so I was holding him in my arm so he can keep napping. FYI, I am also 6 months pregnant. There was a line already, so we just waited to check our luck. There were three couples without reservation before us and they only had option of seating in the bar. However, when it's our turn the host actually managed to seat us in regular table!!!! I was so touched because I know she is doing that for my little toddler plus little one in my tummy:). I really want to thank them for that. The food was also pretty good compare to all other restaurants we tried on island. Overall, I highly recommend this place to everyone! read more

This was our 3rd visit to Bar Acuda. Back in May of 23 we visited twice in 1 week. Our 1st experience was 5 star! Honestly could not have been better. It was so good that we decided to go back for my wife's birthday a few days later and we ended getting seated in a terrible area and it seemed as though the quality of food and service went along with the terrible table location. Fast forward 7 months, I woke up again at 2am PST to make a reservation for 30 days out as required to get a reservation. I even called in and requested a table outside or inside in the main area. We arrived on time and were promptly seated out back near the parking lot and kitchen. We asked to be moved and while there were many empty tables the best that could be done was another hour+ wait. In the end, we decided to give our business to another restaurant. Advice for restaurant: The cost of this meal can easily be $300+... For people that make the effort to make a reservation you should make sure that you have a table prepared for that guest that provides for an experience that matches the cost of the meal. Maybe set aside these terrible tables for walk-ins? If you are considering making reservation here... Be prepared that you might be enjoying a $300 meal stuck in the corner with an exceptional view of a parking lot. read more

Cucumber salad and lamb were the best....so delicious! Steep prices but get great quality food so i don't mind as much. read more

Bar Acuda - Tapas Bars Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

We had a great outdoor table which was quieter and breezy than inside. We shared 4 tapas and a dessert and 2 drinks which was ample for the 2 of us. The special of tuna, the brioche rolls, the cucumber salad and the honeycomb platter, plus Panna cotta dessert are all recommended. Small plates, but shareable and each came out relatively fast. I highly recommend you make advance reservations at Bar Acuda. read more

Terrific and delicious dinner. Probably the best we had in a week on the island. Did well for the vegetarian in our group but meat dishes were standouts as well. read more

Exceptional food (scallops and the cucumber salad were two standouts) and great service. Would definitely suggest coming here.

We have had two great experiences here and have enjoyed the food and atmosphere! Both of our visits the staff were kind & super helpful. The food was delicious... We will be back again! read more

I have heard great things about Bar Acuda , me and my boyfriend decided to walk in with no reservation upon opening. We got sat no problem at a bar high top. I cannot speak highly enough of how incredible these cocktails are. Their signature cocktails are amazing , but they kill it with classic cocktails. We got an espresso martini and old fashion. Both the best we have EVER HAD. The tapas style meal is perfect , I love being able to try different items. We got the cucumber salad, bruschetta , pizzeta and papas. I recommend every single one , all 10/10 delicious. Bar Acuda really wowed us in amazing service and incredible food. read more

Very few places to eat out late in Kauai this place is amazing. Good food good service good ambience remember to make a reservation.

Everything was superb! We were happy to get a last minute reservation & it was the best meal we had on the island ! Every dish was done so well & very tasty. read more

That broccoli, those potatoes and the cucumber avocado salad number -- all my faves!! ...Plus, the smoke 'n ginger tequila cocktail -- best!!!!! Katie is the dearest front manager! Shiloh is the most lovely and kind server ever! The whole staff is full of aloha and fabulous! read more

We've been to Bar Acuda since they opened and for some odd reason this time was the best experience we've had food wise. Their service has always been good but their food has gotten better. read more

Food was amazing! Make sure to get a reservation far in advance or get there early to secure a first come first serve spot.

After having been in Kauai for about a week and having tried a lot of restaurants and food trucks -- Bar Acuda stands out among the rest. There is a reason why it is nearly impossible to get reservations there. There is bar seating, which is open to people with no reservations, but you'll need to get there no later than 5:00 (they open at 5:30). A line forms outside the restaurant. If you need to wait, know that it is worth it. We ordered the cucumber salad with crispy chickpeas and it was delicious. Then the cheese plate with sliced apple and honeycomb. Also delicious. Then moved on to the lamb chops and the fresh catch of the day. Every dish we ordered was amazing. I'm not sure if we were being served by the owner but the bartender serving us had an owner's mentality -- friendly and attentive throughout our dinner. This is a restaurant we will be going back to before we head home this weekend. We are looking forward to trying more items on the menu we didn't get to last night. Kudos to the staff at Bar Acuda for a job well done! read more

Pricey, well-prepared and plated tapas place with excellent service and vibe. With a glass of wine, expect to pay $100 per person. One thing that was uncool is when the server asked us if we wanted a couple of extra slices of bread (tiny) for the bruschetta, and we said yes, because what they provided was clearly inadequate. And lo and behold, there was a $1.50 charge for it on the bill. Seriously? How about providing what you know is going to be necessary rather than an up charge that's not mentioned. It's too bad something minor like this ended what was a delicious meal of six shared plates. Do better Bar Acdua. read more

We loved this place! We came right at opening and were lucky to get a high top without a reservation. Definitely make a reservation well in advance if you can. The food was incredible. They recommend 2-3 dishes per person. We were very comfortable at 2 each. My favorites were the pan seared mahi - perfectly crisp with a rich aioli and soft pearl couscous for a nice texture combination - and the lamb chops - flavorful meat with a bright yoghurt sauce and confit garlic. We also had the arancini, which was great, and the lentils, surprisingly the most filling dish. For dessert we got the salted caramel pot de creme - it was decadently rich and paired nicely with the crispy meringue cookie. The drinks were also on point. Highly recommend! read more

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