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Naisla Kitchen and Cocktails

4.6 (189 reviews)
Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated 3 months ago

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Recommended Reviews - Naisla Kitchen and Cocktails

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Scallops and truffle potatoes
Barbara K.

Well, this was a surprise, given what good experiences we've had here in the past. Husband had his Sunny Bubbles again, and loved it. I had an excellent dirty martini! I also had the scallops and truffle potatoes, which was excellent, though it was alarming to be given a steak knife with them. We shared brussels sprouts with different chiles, really good. Husband had the Miso Carbonara, which was not as good as last time. The real problem was our server, who was very pleasant and nice, but distracted and not paying enough attention. He was sipping wine and chatting with other servers when we were trying to get his attention. There was quite a wait for our check at the end. But the real kicker was when I got a call from him after we left saying that my credit card had been declined, how did I want to handle it? WE HAD PAID CASH!! Which I told him and he mumbled something.

Braised short ribs
Beth s.

Back again at one of our favorite spots in Kapaʻa, and Naisla did not disappoint. We started with the scallop and hamachi crudo appetizers--absolute musts and somehow even better than last time. The Caesar salad was the only slight miss for us, as the wasabi flavor was a bit overpowering. But everything else more than made up for it. The braised short ribs with risotto is hands down their best dish--tender, flavorful, and perfectly executed. We come back for this every time. Despite being very busy on a Sunday evening, the service was spot on: attentive, friendly, and well-paced. Always a great dining experience here, and we'll definitely be back again.

Lobster pasta, miso carbonara
Kaitlin M.

Best meal of our entire 8-day trip. The scallops appetizer is a MUST. The lobster pasta -- incredible. The miso carbonara could be paired with anything but not my absolute favorite!

Local lettuce
Barbara S.

We had a good meal here and a huge shout out to STEPH, our friendly and wonderful server. You can order a prie file meal here or order a la carte from the menu. Since I have a small appetite lately, I ordered the Wasabi Caesar with shrimp. The shrimp were so fresh and flavorful, I could have eaten twice as many! You get 4 shrimp on the salad. The salad was a little overdressed in my opinion. Hubby had the short rib on risotto. A huge service of risotto with a small short rib. He said he liked it. They have a nice cocktail selection and just a few wines by the glass. Many more wine selections by the bottle. We did wait awhile for our entrees but while waiting had a nice chat with our table neighbors who have been residents of Kauai since the mid '80's. That was nice to chat with them to hear their insights. Overall a great experience for a "newer" Kapaa restaurant.

August 2025
Tom S.

Tasty food. Creative cocktail menu. Good if small wine selection. Friendly Service. Nice dining room. Parking situation sucks. Just 4 parking spots around the corner of the building in front of the coffee place. Warning signs declare don't park there until 5pm at risk of being towed away. The big parking lot down the hill on the right side of the building was gated and locked. Had early hour dinner. Sat next to a married couple who moved to Kauai from California 20 years ago. Had a conversation with them throughout the meal. They said that Naisla was the best restaurant on the island. IMHO that's debatable, but I respect their opinion. Bambie & I ate out frequently during our two week visit August 2025. Naisla was in the top three of the fancy places we ate. Others were Bar Acuda and Postcards, both located in Hanalei town.

Arancini

Naisla Kitchen is a nice little place. Ambiance is quaint. The staff is awesome very friendly and attentive and service is outstanding. Happy hour if 4-5, Dinner is available after 5pm. Prices are reasonable for Hawaii depending on what you order. I had an appetizer Arancini, ( Deep fried risotto) topped with ricotta pesto guanciale. It was outstanding, I have sampled all their appitizers and they are all very good can't miss, especially with a cocktail. I ordered the jidori chicken with purple mashed sweet potatoes and glazed heirloom carrots, with gastrique. One of my favorite dishes here. The fish is fresh everyday from.local fisherman and are outstanding as well. This place is a hidden little gem I go to when I am in Kauai.

surf and turf - filet mignon with lobster
Roxanne L.

4.5 stars We had a really lovely dinner here! Service was genuinely great - our server was friendly, knowledgeable, and the kind of person who makes you *want* to tip well. He introduced us to their seasonal dessert, and we're 100% glad we listened. Such a good call. I had the lobster pasta and thoroughly enjoyed it. Flavor was spot on and exactly what I was craving. If I'm being picky, the pasta itself could've been a bit more al dente, but still delicious overall. We also tried the surf and turf, and that was a highlight. The filet mignon was cooked to juicy medium-rare perfection, and the lobster was tender and satisfying. We loved the sides too! The only downside for us was the mahi mahi. The owner fished it himself so that's really cool and it was tasty, but for the price, getting two skewers with three cubes of fish each felt a bit underwhelming. Overall, great service, memorable dishes, and a solid experience - we'd definitely come back, just maybe skip the mahi mahi next time.

Miso carbonara  with a side of pork belly (top), and an Italian ramen - both tasty dishes. Mwuah...to the chef!

Delicious and savory food. Loved the modern and upbeat ambiance. Our server was also great and hospitable.

Erin Y.

Came here for dinner and overall the food was great! We ordered apps and entrees, everything was super tasty and flavorful. However, the only call out was the Italian Ramen was on the lighter side; would prefer and more richer broth.

Scallops

Well this was my most talked about place and a place I needed to revisit. I would say the food is still spectacular. However, being asked to move seats at the bar towards the end of our meal is a bit low class. For that I would say this place has drop a notch. Food still good but perhaps re-evaluate how you interact with patrons.

Miso carbonara with a side of pork belly.
Amy T.

I'm ashamed to say this is the first time we have been here since it opened! Can easily say we will recommend Naisla and be back! Serviced was fantastic & the food was beyond amazing. We went with the specials for the appetizer and salad, if they have the cru ceviche, just say "yes please" when your server is telling you the nightly specials! Everything came out timely and there isn't a thing I would suggest to change our experience.

Chicken Karaage
Kaselynn F.

I recommend Naisla to everyone!! Whether you are celebrating or just looking for great dinner and drinks this is the spot. My go to favorite is the Chicken Jidori but a close second is the short rib. Their tiramisu is also a great end to any meal! I've always had wonderful service and I love how they updated the space; the atmosphere is comfortable and classy.

Menu
Stacy S.

What a find! This great place is in a very non-assuming building, and we completely drive by it when we visited a year ago. I'm so glad that we had dinner here this visit. The place is cute and service is great. The NYE tasting menu was good. For me - tuna carpaccio, endive salad, garden pasta and lobster tail added, chocolate lava cake. ALL delicious. For him - arancini, smashed cucumber salad (which I tried - delish), filet mignon with lobster tail added, pumpkin sir cream coffee cake (also tried this - yum!) One more about the lobster tails - mine melted in my mouth and was so tender. His was not cooked the same way and assists a bit translucent. We were told that they sou-vide them so they are all the same... but they didn't look or taste the same.

Italian ramen (foreground), carbonara with pork belly (background)

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1 year ago

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1 month ago

Very expensive. Food was ok nothing special to justify the high prices of everything. Restaurant is very loud.

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6 months ago

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2 months ago

Great place to eat. Food was prepared beautifully. Service and ambience were excellent. Recommend to anyone who has excellent taste in food.

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Consistent.... Great food every time we go... good selection on the menu. Good service.. repeat customer

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Naisla Kitchen and Cocktails Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Naisla Kitchen and Cocktails

Do they do take out or to go orders or is it fine service only?

Don't know, but the food wouldn't be as enjoyable without the presentation. You'll have to call them to be sure.

What are the hours for this place? Any reservations needed? Phone #

They are currently open Wednesday- Sunday 5 to 930pm. You can make a reservation on OpenTable. I would highly recommend doing that. #808-855-0294

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4.7(236 reviews)
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Kauai is my favorite island, but the fine-food scene is tiny. The Tasting Room doesn't need to be…read moreas good as it is--but it is. The menu changes often, and when we return every year, we are always happy with our meal, wine and great service. All give a very European vibe. My kids are older now, but we still have one teen-aged picky eater. She always finds something she likes i.e. salmon, fries, steak, and the wine list and shop are diverse and fun. You could find this cozy wine bar in a foodie city like Houston, New York or Los Angeles and it would be a favorite. We are so lucky they decided to land in beautiful Kauai.

Has a lovely meal here last night. We got the charcuterie…read moreboard, a Caesar salad, flat bread, and three entrees: the steak board, rack of lamb, and pasta with n mahi mahi. The charcuterie board had a nice array of cheeses and meats. It needed more crostini...but I feel like every charcuterie board I've ever had needed more bread! The Cesar salad was great. The flatbread was tasty, with home made tomato sauce and loaded with prosciutto, but it was overly salty. The lamb was excellent, the polenta that went with it was a little dry. The fish had a pesto coating. It was nice but nothing special. The steak was cooked perfectly with a nice crust while the inside was medium rare, and came with delicious mushrooms, potatoes and asparagus. Overall we were very happy. we debated rating this a three or four. It was a bit pricey for what we got, but everything in Kauai is!

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4.8(49 reviews)
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What a fabulous place. Cocktails are amazing. And u expected with the casual menu. Great…read moresandwiches. Salad was perfect. Service was just enough attention. The place give s a casual vibe. It's around d back of the food truck looks abandoned- keep walking to the back of the building. Bug spray might be a good idea too. You're dining in a lush area with a lot of wet plants.

The hidden gem of Kauai!…read more We thought the warehouse looked cool from the front with no expectations of whet may be hidden behind the facade. Drift is now our mandatory revisit when in Kauai. Star 1- clean. Every visible surface, glass, seat and table were clean Star 2- the food was spectacular. I had the Cali Reuben sandwich. It was fantastic. My wife had the Cobb Salad. It was perfect! Star 3- we are not typically "specialty drink" drinkers. The list was introduced to us by the owner who explained every drink was made with top shelf spirits, fresh juices and fruit, and was something they had found, enjoyed, and recreated to serve. Their love for balance and presentation shown through. We tried 4 of their creations and LOVED all of them. Star 4- Environment, the back area is relaxing, beautiful, is on island time. Very enjoyable. Don't rush, just enjoy. Star 5- Owners, kind, warm, and they care about the items brought to the table. Star 6- the whole package. Great value, this is now added as a top stop when in Kauai for us

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4.3(2k reviews)
14.7 mi
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Took our chance and drove from Nahwiliwili to Bar Acuda to arrive well before 530pm to join the…read morestandby list in the hopes to score a seat at the bar or possibly a table from a last minute cancellation. There are about 7 to 9 seats at the bar and we scored two of them. Well worth the journey and wait. Bar service was great. Friendly and informative about today's tapas options with recommendations.

I Never give a five star review but Bar Acuda earns that and more. We'd tried to get in on prior…read morevisits to the area, but it's always booked solid 30 days in advance and no wonder. This time--I was ready. I made reservations 30 days ahead, and so so glad I did. For context; we eat out a lot at a wide range of restaurants so we have a pretty good sense at what's exceptional. We arrived really early ahead of the reservation for a drink but the bar was packed so we were shown to a nice seating area to have a cocktail while we waited for our reservation time. This is everything a restaurant should be. The service was warm, fluid and flawless. The atmosphere is relaxed, understated and elegant. The food was exceptional with each aspect adding its own role in the dish. Hubby had the short ribs which were incredible and luscious; this is what a risotto truly should be but often never is. My shrimp were tender and juicy; cooked perfectly. My only regret is that we enjoyed ourselves so much I forgot to take photos. We will be back for sure. It was truly the dining highlight of the trip and we've eaten literally everywhere in Princeville-Hanalei. Tip--set your calendar for 30 days before you wish to dine, go into the Resy app and snag a table. You can try to walk in, and add your name to the waiting list but the line of folks waiting each night was so long, I would guess it's a long shot. A reservation at this place is worth it.

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Naisla Kitchen and Cocktails - asianfusion - Updated May 2026

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