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    Gaia

    4.1 (22 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

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    Menu
    Mark Y.

    A welcomed new dining place located at the Hanalei Colony Resort! Gaia has been open for a little over a month now and while there still seems to be some kinks to work out, overall we had a really nice dinner experience here. The inside is well laid out with ample space between tables so you don't feel crowded. The four of us were quickly seated at a window facing the ocean, very nice. Currently they're still working on getting their liquor license so for now it's BYOB. We brought a bottle of champagne and merlot to enjoy with dinner. We decided on getting a few options from the Tapas menu, the Robata menu, and the Ohana menu so we could get a good sampling of what they have to offer. From the Tapas menu we got the Local Caught Sashimi, Farmer's Market Vegetable, and the Ube Manapua. All of these were good with the Manapua being the most interesting. The bun was made from sweet potato and the filling was oxtail. A nice balance of sweet from the bun and savory from the oxtail. I also liked the Sashimi which was Ahi but I would say that I'd consider this dish more of an Ahi Crudo instead. The fish was very fresh and served in a light citrusy olive oil topped with diced tomatoes and herbs. From the Robata menu we ordered the Banana Rumaki and the Pork Belly. Both of these were outstanding. The Banana Rumaki was definitely a highlight for me. Instead of the Rumaki having a chicken liver filling they used banana and wrapped in smoky bacon with a teri glaze...absolutely delicious. The pork belly was no slouch either. Nicely fatty and now drowned in an overly sweet glaze like most places would serve it, another highlight. From the Ohana menu we ordered the Cantonese Prawns and the Farmer's Pastured Beef. The prawns were another highlight of the meal. Large head-on Kauai shrimp served in a buttery sauce over thick pasta. Unfortunately with my shellfish allergy I couldn't have any of the shrimp but I did sneak a small taste of the pasta which was fabulous. As for the beef dish, sadly there was a misstep in the kitchen and that dish was overlooked. Although I'm sure it was good we all agreed that it would've been too much food, we were pretty stuffed with what we already had. We did however order a dessert to share between the four of us which was the Coconut Crème Brûlée with cinnamon-sugar Beignets. This was also very good, creamy, crunchy, and chewy with the beignets. On the day we ate here we were told they are added breakfast service to their hours, fantastic for the resort guests to have a meal before venturing off to see Kauai. Gaia is definitely a great addition to the area.

    Menu
    Joe K.

    Much anticipated opening of a restaurant in a most amazing space. And yep, brand new means there are some kinks to work out. For starters the liquor license is not lined up yet. No worries BYOB and save a little money. Food was all interesting local fusion ...vegan options...something for everyone. But no kids menu. So if you have one of those kids that only eat grilled cheese - get a baby sitter. Everyone will be happier. Favorites were the manapua and the kale salad. And who can resist the cuchi cuchi chicken in homage to Charo who owns the building?

    We live nearby and really wanted to support local. The restaurant now has a more improved look, service was great, staff were friendly and nice. Ambience could be better. We came for dinner and mosquitoes were bothering me:( We weren't really that hungry so we just ordered some shrimps, chicken, pineapple rice (forgot to take a photo), and their dessert. Both the shrimps and chicken were cooked to perfection, very juicy, very flavorful. Would definitely recommend. Pineapple rice was good (Would request it to add more pineapple and lessen the oil). Dessert was $38 and it was such a let down. Not worth the money. We were expecting icecream overload for the price. But it was literally 3scoops with a gazillion whipped cream to make it look huge. Hopefully, they would improve more on the food choices and bigger portion size.

    Ceviche
    Debs J.

    The location has always been what makes this place unique. A new restaurant has opened replacing Opaka paka. The chef is quite amazing! BYOB with great mocktails. A Wednesday night we were treated to live music and a view. Chose the ceviche of local ahi tuna. Delicious flavors and beautiful presentation. Followed by the ube bao buns that were delicious! Soft, tasty with a hint of oxtail meat that honestly was perfect in proportion bc the bun was sooo good the meat was just a bonus. Next course was a half portion of Cantonese Kauai prawns complete with heads and tails!! Flavors were AMAZING!! The pasta had bits of beef mixed in with the sauce and it was delicious! Prawns with the heads are a treat and they grilled them to perfection. The chef visited our table early before it got busy and she is honestly amazing with the flavor profiles she is creating!! A great place to dine. RELAX, enjoy the music. ENJOY the ambiance. Savor the food. A lovely new addition to the North Shore! Thanks!

    Chef's Special - seared ahi

    I've eaten here several times and have not been disappointed once as I explore different things on their menu. The menu has a lot of creative choices including several tapas dishes up to family sized orders meant for sharing. My favorites are the Beet/mango/Honey tapas and the sashimi tapas plate. Well, and the Chef Special one night of Seared Ahi. THE thing that keeps me coming back is the freshness of the food. You can tell from the first bite that farm fresh and local. This is now my favorite place to eat on the island. Pat

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    2 months ago

    All the food was incentive, fresh and fun. A great family dinner! Highly recommend if you are on the North Shore.

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    Big Nick’s

    4.6(156 reviews)
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    Big Nick's was such a standout spot during our time in Kauai! I ordered the chili pepper chicken…read morebowl, which came with three pieces of juicy, flavorful chicken that had the perfect spicy kick -- not overwhelming, but definitely satisfying. It was served over a scoop of rice and made for such a filling, delicious meal. On the employee's recommendation, we also got the taro wedges, and I'm so glad we did! They were crispy and crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and yes... a little oily -- but in the best, indulgent way. The sauce that came with it (not sure what it was!) was SO good and paired perfectly with the wedges. My husband ordered the taro burger, and we both loved it -- it ended up being his favorite vegetarian meal on Kauai! Good to know: there's parking in the back, which is also where the bathrooms are located (just ask for the key). Overall, Big Nick's is a must-try for flavorful, local-style comfort food. Everything we had was delicious, and we'd absolutely come back!

    Fresh, savory meats! Crispy, fresh shrimp! Texture-licous Mac/potato salad. Friendly, welcoming…read moreservice. Didn't know where we were going to grab dinner but this one hit the spot. Especially after the super religious chicken barrel spot ran out of chicken and ribs (but not Jesus). The outside patio is nice, with stools, and we saw a rainbow. The end. The sequel! We went back, a 2nd time. My partner's idea. It was still tasty. There are bowls instead of plates, which is less food. I should have gotten that.

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    Chicken in a Barrel BBQ - Hanalei

    Chicken in a Barrel BBQ - Hanalei

    4.2(1k reviews)
    3.4 mi
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    After hiking Kalalau (18 miles... yeah), we were beyond hungry -- the kind of hungry where you'd…read moreeat your own backpack if it had sauce on it. So we pulled up to Chicken In A Barrel BBQ around 6:30 PM on a Thursday, and honestly... it hit the spot in the best way. We ordered the 1/2 Chicken, the #3 Baby Back Rib Plate, plus a full order of fries and a side of ranch. Total came out to about $50, which felt totally fair for the amount of food and how filling it was. The ribs were my favorite part -- smoky, meaty, and not dry at all. They had that real BBQ vibe without being drowned in sauce. The chicken had a solid char on the outside and stayed juicy inside (which is not easy after a long day when you're eating fast and don't want to mess around). Fries were crispy and salty -- exactly what you want after a hike like that. This place is simple, casual, no fancy nonsense -- just good BBQ that makes you feel human again. If you're on Kauai and you've been hiking all day (or even if you haven't), this spot is absolutely worth it. We left full, happy, and already talking about coming back again.

    Went back on day two, and this time, they hadn't run out of chicken and ribs yet, so we took…read moreadvantage of the full menu! Ate too fast and forgot to post pics. The loaded french fries are worth it, but you can do a half order. Which I recommend. If you're eating there, all the chickens and roosters outside will stare at you, with every french fry you bite into. Bbq sauce was addictive. Most dishes come with Chili, which has pork in it, but you can substitute for onion rings - which were much better. I would always do that, if I were you. Fortunately, on this visit, the staff was engaging and helpful. The previous day was some little kid who didn't know anything about the menu. But hey, family members help out in a pinch, I guess. You're in Kauai after all, so yes, we had a torrential downpour while eating. Luckily, we were under their non-leaky outdoor dining area. Added to the Kauai vibe. Only downside was listening to the teenagers who work at the shave ice place, vent as loudly as possible, about one of them is already at a crossroads in life. Geez, "slow yourself down", kid. And lower the volume.

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    Chicken in a Barrel BBQ - Hanalei - Inside

    Inside

    Chicken in a Barrel BBQ - Hanalei - Loaded fries with pork

    Loaded fries with pork

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    The Hanalei Gourmet - Shrimp Ceviche

    The Hanalei Gourmet

    3.8(1.1k reviews)
    3.4 mi
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    This little local restaurant was a little hidden gem located in the Hannalei shopping center old…read moreHanalei school. It's been here for a while. You can tell by the decor for the building. You can sit inside or out and they have the doors open so the wind was going through, which of course made me cold. But they have gluten-free buns. So I was able to get a Burger and side salad because the fries were preseasoned and therefore not gluten-free which seems to be the theme on this island. Smh. The young lady who took our order was very friendly and gluten-free herself so she knew exactly what I was going through and has a list of items that can be gluten-free. I ordered Fresh Island Fish Sandwich at $26.95 Grilled fresh garlic buttered fish served with a lemon caper dill mayonnaise and "the works" on a toasted gluten-free bun. It was huge! Juicy and very flavorful. The House salad was also huge and the house thousand Island dressing that came with it was delicious. My husband ordered Moe's Ultimate Burger at $23.95 with Guacamole, bacon and pepper jack cheese with "the works" and his came with the seasoned fries. It was a huge burger as well and very flavorful. He enjoyed it. We ordered the virgin piña colada's at $7.75ea. They were in a 10-120z or regular size glass and tasted pretty good coming in at a cool third place. There's a bar inside that you can sit with TVs to watch surfing and or games. The decor is paintings from local artist from what I gather that you can also purchase. We'll definitely visit here again.

    They always have great fresh fish. Today we had marlin and chips and it was amazing as usual…read more The Cole slaw recipe was different though. Miss the old one.

    Photos
    The Hanalei Gourmet - Bar seating is bright and airy.

    Bar seating is bright and airy.

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    Gaia - burgers - Updated May 2026

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