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Friendly Waves

4.1 (173 reviews)

Friendly Waves Photos

FRIENDLY WAVES ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Touristy
Trendy
Moderate noise

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Recommended Reviews - Friendly Waves

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Juliet O.

I came here because I saw in the reviews that they are vegan friendly but that's not quite the case. You can get a nacho plate with coconut cheese but it just tastes really bad. They also offer a vegan burger but the vegan bread was so disgusting I couldn't eat it. They need to work on making the vegan option not only just exist, but also taste good. Loved our server though! And loved to see that they offered various non alcoholic beer options.

Strawberry Guava pancakes
Susan M.

Went for breakfast and ordered the strawberry guava pancakes. The consistency of the pancake was more like a regular cake. It was dry and fell apart. Not good. The sauce was tasty, as was the fruit. Service was fine.

The place.
Berna D.

Yes good. Not good the bar being closed Hm.. weird xx. Anyways the food was medioquore which was ok. Thank you. Server was rude and snotty but all is well. Bye xx.

Chicken nachos
Jack M.

I've been to this location a few times - the vibes are good and nachos are very tasty. They didn't have alcohol available unfortunately on this visit, and it took a while for someone to take our order (even though it wasn't too busy). Will definitely be back!

fish tacos + sweet potato fries
Abby C.

fish tacos were filling and good :) sweet potato fries were good too, but nothing special. we went in the morning because it opened earlier than most places do on the south side. they let us order chicken wings around the time we went (10amish), even though it wasn't on the breakfast menu. all the servers there were really nice and attentive

Breakfast
Raquel T.

We went on our search for a good breakfast place here in Kauai. Yes there are some quaint restaurants with the hometown feel, but we wanted something a little more. We found friendly waves in koloa. We were seated immediately with a beautiful view as we enjoyed our meal. The staff was friendly and the service was quick. The food was 5 stars. I would encourage anyone to come and enjoy this amazing restaurant.

Local vegetable hash
Dara W.

This place was perfect for us. We had a group of seven and wanted to watch the Celtics game. Plenty of space here with all the windows opened up that provided a beautiful breeze. The main bar area was surrounded by TVs, the staff were very friendly and helpful, and the food was absolutely delicious. We ordered wings, nachos, veggie hash, and beef bowl. We shared most items and everything was tasty. I was impressed that they offered a coconut miso "cheese" alternative for the nachos which was fantastic. You also had your choice of fresh fried nacho chips or root chips. The variety of food and drink offerings is fabulous. We'd go back for sure.

Fried Chicken sandwich
Vince L.

In the recently built commercial courtyard, we found this restaurant for lunch on the second floor. From the name, it wasn't immediately obvious to us that it was a restaurant. It sounded more like a clothing store. We entered and were seated immediately by one of the large windows. It was nice and breezy with a great view. We ordered the fried chicken sandwich (green onion dip, lettuce, tomato, buffalo wing sauce on the side) and the OG burger (9th island sauce, shredded lettuce, charred onions, tomato, pickle, american cheese). Both came with crispy fries that were delicious. The fried chicken was well made--good seasoning with a nice crust. I'm glad I had sauce on the side as I didn't want it to be soggy. The burger was fresh and delicious as well. This new restaurant is off to a good start. And the best part? The staff! They were so friendly and accommodating. That will go a long way to their success.

Spicy Bloody Mary and a HBW Kewalo's Cream Ale
Kim K.

Enjoyed watching our college basketball game at Friendly Waves. The staff were welcoming and Kara ensured we were setup with the TVs. Our bartender, Jonathan, was attentive yet gave us time to sit and enjoy our beverages, nice & spicy Bloody Mary & a local beer, before ordering food. Happy we split the Maluhia steak breakfast burrito. It was loaded with meat, potatoes and pico with crisp pickled onions on the side. And we decided to try a side of goteborg sausage , a blend of beef and pork, very tasty. Great sports bar environment with an open airy bar and dining area.

Burger and wedge salad
Tim H.

The food is delish, cold beers on tap. Service is friendly. Ambiance is great when the wind is blowing through the restaurant.

I believe was the OG burger (recommended by our waitress).
Ash F.

A lot of the other places were closed, so my friend and I came here for our late lunch. It was pretty sunny and it was beaming on my back. But we sat and talked while he had the burger (I forgot which one) and I'm big on a loco moco ambassador! Lmao. So that's what we had. My loco in my opinion was overpowered by a buttery taste. But it was delish. I wish they smothered it more with gravy. And I wish I ordered it more sunny and runny the egg. By the time it came to me, was over hard. But that's okay. The people are nice. The space is nice.

Kalbi burger with gluten free bao bun and sweet potato fries

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2 years ago

Great spot! Open air windows and fun spot to watch a game. Delicious food as well, so you can't go wrong!!

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Amazing Gluten-Free food location. Almost everything is gluten free and delicious! Great service with friendly staff.

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2 years ago

Great food! Great service. Nachos were fantastic. Burger and wedge salad were equally as good if not better.

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2 years ago

Everyone that works at this place is Awesome from Carson to the Holstedss Bethany!! We as locals love the vibe and food!!!

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2 years ago

This place is becoming my go to spot on the south shore. The bar is super cool and the staff is super friendly.

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3 years ago

Great sports bar spot. Beautiful view on top. Multiple TVs to watch various sports. Food is simple but great. Definitely my new local fave.

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2 years ago

Great food, amazing service, best meal on the island so far. Try da Philly, you won't be disappointed

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3 years ago

Staff knowledgeable & friendly! Chef excellent! Looking forward to trying more ono food!!!

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Ask the Community - Friendly Waves

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This is a great, fun, affordable option while staying in Poipu!!! We've already been here twice…read more The key is to go during their happy hour time from 3-6pm daily. The first time we spent just over $100 for a family of 5, and last night we got out of there for $88. That is a feat in this part of town! The happy hour is unbeatable. $7 drinks and 25 cent wings. Note that you have to have minimum two drinks per person, but they don't have to be alcoholic--we got a cocktail as our first and soda water as the second. The cocktails are quite large, so you can still get the $7 price if you order a soda or sparkling water as your second drink. The waitress was super helpful and let us know that last night! We went for taco Tuesday yesterday and the tacos were $1 each! They were good--not insane but great for the price and hit the spot. The service is great and the food and drinks come out quickly despite being busy. The drinks are standard fare, nothing crazy delicious, but for the price it's great. The food is all yummy. We especially love their chicken wings! Home-fried and lots of meat. All of the dipping sauces are excellent too. We haven't had a bad dish here! Truly wonderful prices, good food, and great for the whole family.

We went for happy hour and it's solid!…read more Happy hour food was good (grilled fish taco for $6!), Boneless wings, big Mai Tai. Service was good. Drinks were quick Staff were friendly. Overall, really enjoyed our meal and drinks here. Plus peekaboo views of the water. Nice spot. Will be back.

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Rob's Good Times Grill - Bulgogi bowl and a draft Modelo...  so chronic..!!!

Rob's Good Times Grill

4.1(824 reviews)
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Overall: 10/10…read more PARKING: Free large lot available at the strip mall. FOOD: Always great! I like the clams in the butter sauce with the little toasts it comes with. Best to do family style if with a group, because then you can try more items! VIBE: It's a local spot for sure, casual vibe, great bar, live music on Thursdays, and Trivia Night follows. SERVICE: They have lots of tables to manage, so servers checking in with you can be sparse, but if you need something just flag someone down, and they will take care of you quickly.

Visited Good Times Grill during our stay in Kauai. The staff were warm, friendly, and very…read morewelcoming throughout our visit. They also had a live band playing, which created a fun atmosphere and it looked like a lot of people were really enjoying themselves. If you're just looking for a quiet place to sit and eat, though, it can get a bit loud, nothing against the live music, just something to keep in mind depending on what kind of dining experience you're looking for. The ahi nachos were a bit disappointing for us. The ahi itself was fresh and tasted great, but the "nachos" were actually more like fried wontons instead of traditional nacho chips, which felt a little odd and just wasn't really our thing. It would've helped if that was disclosed on the menu or if the server gave a quick heads up beforehand so expectations were clearer. On the positive side, the Tempura Ahi Bites were our favorite dish out of everything we ordered, definitely the standout item for us. The rib plate was also decent with satisfying portions overall.

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Kauai Island Brewing - Korean fried chicken plate

Kauai Island Brewing

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Food was amazing. Wife and I both got fish tacos. It was fresh Mahi Mahi…read more The fries were SUPER good. Fresh cut. Great service too! Our server was positive, authentic and never let us go without anything. This was a great experience.

The site of day 4's lunch, Kauai Island Brewing in the Port Allen area of Eleele is the original…read morelocation of the popular microbrewery based in the island of Kauai. My wife and I specifically came to the area to sample their beers and try their food, and found the beer to good/great while the food was OK. It opens at 11 on weekdays, and we arrived soon after, so found street parking easily. We were some of the first customers, and our choice of inside seating. The building is two stories, with the upstairs being used as an arcade (classic 80's pinball machines). The large bar is the center of the downstairs, and they sell shop memorabilia as well. Tried a 4 sampler flight (no discount for flight, just sum of the 5 oz beers chosen). Their most popular is the Lilikoi, which we had just tried at a restaurant a couple days before, so we skipped that. Instead we got: Chupa lager (Mexican cerveza which was refreshing), Wheat (which was my least favorite...kinda flat/limp with little flavor), Alaka'I Stout (my favorite, creamy and almost chocolatey), and a Sour with calamansi (which my wife liked the best, I thought it tasted like a shandy). As for food, we got two entrees. My wife got the Kalua Pork Sandwich ($22): pretty much all pulled pork sandwiches are called Kalua in Hawaii, no matter how it is made. That being said, this version was OK with the fries being very good (similar to Five Guys fries, fried in peanut oil maybe). I had my favorite: Loco Moco ($22) which was well prepared, and the white rice was good. But the beef patty was mediocre (tasted like a standard preformed food service patty from frozen...it wouldn't have stood out in a burger). The one egg was cooked well and I really liked the homemade gravy. There is a 3% credit card surcharge, and Toast is the payment processor.

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Kauai Island Brewing - Lilikoi ale

Lilikoi ale

Kauai Island Brewing - Green papaya salad with shrimp

Green papaya salad with shrimp

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Lava Lava Beach Club - Kauai - Great Dessert, Kauai Coffee cheesecake - YUm!

Lava Lava Beach Club - Kauai

4.0(2.6k reviews)
13.4 mi
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The food was the best we ate while on the island. The service was excellent and the view is amazing!read more

Lava Lava Beach Club - Kauai…read more New American, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch Kapaa, HI What a charming, fun restaurant right on the beach with such great ambiance!! The service was outstanding from the hostess, bar tenders, chefs and our wonderful server, Kapua!! She was so friendly and always checked on us without being intrusive. We have been on the island for 6 nights. Each evening we have tried Mai Tai's. Lava Lava's are by far the best!!! They are not too sweet and a good pour! We got there early as the other reviews said it gets crowded and they do not take reservations. We arrived at 5 pm on a Wednesday and were seated right away closest to the beach. For our starter we had edamame which was a large portion and so good. My husband ordered the Chicken Pineapple Rice Bowl and substituted the chicken for the coconut shrimp. The rice was AMAZING as well as the shrimp, but our only complaint was the portion was very small and was served with only 3 shrimp. The picture looks like you get a lot, but it came in a carved out SMALL pineapple. The presentation was beautiful though. I had the Ceasar salad and added chicken. It was so good!!! The lettuce was so crisp! Nothing worse than a Ceasar salad with wilty romaine lettuce. I've had plenty of those in my day. This was one of the best I've ever had! Everything arrived in a timely manner. We had a great night. Side note...they offer free valet parking which is at the very top of the parking lot. I have nothing but high praises for Lava Lava's beach club!! You must check it out for yourself. You will be so happy you did!

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Friendly Waves - burgers - Updated May 2026

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