Red Salt is an amazing restaurant! The Lobster Benedict & Bloody Mary's are to die for!!! Marlina was the most incredible server. She went above and beyond every single time that we dined there! Be sure to go if you find yourself in beautiful Kauai! Ask for Marlinas section, you won't be disappointed!!! read more

We are locals and are long time fans of this restaurant. We went on 9/16, the day after the reopened after Hurricane Lowell. Our experience beyond exceeded our expectations. Aaliyah was the host and she greeted us warmly and brought us to our table. Nat was the first to greet us at the table and offer us water, and he stopped by a few times throughout our meal to check on us and make sure our table was cleared and our waters always full. Mayan was our server and gave us a top-notch fine dining experience, while being warm, friendly, and knowledgeable throughout. Our courses were timed perfectly, our drinks were cold and our food was hot. We had the scallops with the pork belly and white bean purée and it was divine. Next we had a sushi roll that rivaled anything I've had on the island and even in Japan. My steak was cooked perfectly and the side of whipped potatoes we ordered was like eating a heavenly buttery cloud. The silky strawberry cheesecake was exquisite and we ended our meal with an affogato that was poured table side. Not to mention that they were offering a big discount to locals that whole week which was a lovely and generous surprise! Overall, our experience was amazing, we felt like they graciously welcomed us in, and the food was excellent. I've eaten all over the island many times over, and this is the best restaurant on the island in my opinion. read more

We were staying at the Ko'a Kea Resort and kept hearing that Red Salt was one of the top restaurants in Kauai, so naturally we had to try it. After dinner, I'm convinced the oceanfront location is doing a lot of the heavy lifting here. The setting is beautiful...right by the water, and it definitely feels like somewhere special. Unfortunately, the food never quite caught up with the scenery. We started with the crudo, which was good. Nothing particularly memorable or inventive, but fresh, solid, and no complaints. Then the entrées arrived, and that's where things started to unravel. The pan-roasted monchong was disappointing and tasted noticeably fishy, which made it hard to enjoy. Then came the lobster gnocchi, and let's just say I finally understood what Taylor Swift meant by her song "Down Bad." There may have been lobster involved, but garlic was unquestionably the main character. And the supporting character. And possibly the director. It was so overwhelmingly garlicky that they could've saved themselves the trouble and just brought me a plate of garlic cloves. Part of the problem is that the menu is trying a little too hard to be creative. The dishes felt more focused on being interesting than being delicious. Sometimes you just need to let good ingredients be good ingredients. Red Salt is one of those restaurants where the location, resort setting, and reputation have taken on a life of their own. It's beautiful, it's popular, and everyone tells you that you have to go, which is the only reason everyone keeps going... read more

One of the best restaurants near Poipu Beach with excellent food and service! We stayed at Ko'a Kea and dined here 3x during our 5 night stay to try their brunch, sushi bar, and dinner service. Dinner here on our first night in Kauai was wonderful, but expensive. It was about $262 before tip for drinks, a starter, and 2 entrees for two people. We loved the mai-tais as well as all of the dishes we ordered: Sticky Ribs appetizer (5/5) tender with good BBQ sauce Crab Crusted Monchong (4.5/5) for the price, I wish this had more veggies/sides Seared Ahi Steak (5/5) For brunch, I dined solo with a lovely view. It was not busy, and my server was so friendly and helpful. I got the Loco Moco, which was comforting and delicious! Our final meal here was at the Sushi Bar. We appreciated how quickly we were able to order and get our food. The rolls were satisfying, with fresh fish. The Black & White roll was a standout. Definitely recommend dining here, especially if you're staying at Ko'a Kea or nearby. read more

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The food and service are top notch. My husband and I cook at home so we have become quite picky about dining out and whether it's worth it. Well, we ate at Red Salt back to back nights and twice for breakfast so that should tell you something. Our first dining experience was an in restaurant dinner and I almost didn't give 5 stars is because the dining room itself could use a nice interior designer to help match the ambiance to the high quality food and service. The server was terrific and accommodating. I had a non traditional meal choice - scallop appetizer and bisque soup- and she smartly offered to add an additional scallop since I was making the dish my meal which I appreciated especially because the scallops were exquisite! Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Just delightful and the bisque was also delicious. Now my husband's meal , the braised short rib osso bucco style was truly amazing! the meat basically fell off the bone and was perfectly paired with the mushrooms and puréed potatoes. I don't want to overlook the starters that set our expectations- delicious delicate pear salad and the spicy hamachi crudo with just the right amount of kick! And even though we were stuffed, we couldn't pass the dessert - flourless chocolate cake and affogato! Both chef's kisses! we loved that meal so much we ordered a condensed version of it for room servide the next night. As for breakfast, I think what we liked was that they did a great job on the classics. My husband had a traditional eggs and bacon with potatoes and I had the waffles and both were a solid 8-9. Again great service. I would say the price for breakfast is pretty spot on for the ambiance, food quality and service. I feel that the dinner entrees which while excellent, feels a bit steep $50-70 for the ambiance but as you can tell by our back to back meals, we still went back for more because none of the other restaurants we ate at on the island came close to the quality. If you get a chance, definitely reserve one night to dine here. you won't regret it. :) read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - yummy waffle with banana, strawberry , blueberries, chocolate chips ( that partially melted ) and chopped macadamia nuts! Sooooo good. - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

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THEY ARE OPEN! Red Salt remains to be one of the best dining spots on island. The food, the ambiance, the service is . read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

Great place to have an elevated dining experience. We had breakfast every morning at Red Salt and most times Becca was our server. She is extremely pleasant and attentive. We did dine once for dinner and the food was delicious! read more

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Of all of the restaurants in which we ate, this was by far the best. We were given a table overlooking the pool. I started my meal with one of their zero proof drinks. I chose the Lie-Tai which was very good. Then my husband and I split a Little Gem Caesar. It was a nice size salad and plenty for the two of us. We both had the seared ahi steak. Although, I usually don't enjoy wasabi, this was incorporated as a topping and was not overwhelming. For the occasion of my birthday, the restaurant honored me with a Lucious chocolate chip cookie with edible flowers on top. We had a wonderful meal in a nice atmosphere. The waiter was pleasant, helpful and kind. It all added up to a nice time. read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - My Happy Birthday cookie - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

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We just had dinner here last night, mainly to support the restaurant after Hurricane Lowell. It was wonderful!!! Ashley, our server, was so friendly, welcoming, caring. And the food was excellent. We just had appetizers, sides and dessert. So good. read more

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This review is in reference to NYE I think the staff and manager handled being extremely busy incredibly well. We had a reservation but about 15 to 30 minutes in decided to sit at the bar and about an hour later the hostess came up to us and asked if we'd like to be seated at our table--we were happy to give our table away to help alleviate the long wait for others and continued enjoying our meals. My boyfriend's meal was definitely better than mine--I got what I would describe as a surf and turf pho, but it was still delicious. Overall given the circumstances, it was still a great meal and we had an amazing time at red salt and would definitely come back! read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

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We had George as our server the night that we dined at red salt and he was amazing. Come to find out through talking with him that he is actually a chef and has ex expensive culinary knowledge it came about because he was able to explain to us a specific type of fish and the cut that we had never had before, and what it would most be like and he was spot on the food was amazing and George really made our night with his knowledge and service! read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Catch of the day - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

Improved since our last visit, rather significantly. Dinner was very good (and very expensive), and Christian was an excellent server. Breakfasts were basic but actually quite delicious, though the pancakes are a little dense. Servers Chad and Marlina are standouts, though it's almost unfair to single anyone out since the servers at the restaurant are all top-notch. Genuinely improved ... significantly! read more

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We have come here two times now (2024 and 2026) and, while the food is decent here, my memory of it in 2024 exceeded our recent experience. We ordered a (non-alcoholic) pineapple fizz, grilled pear salad, the house made ricotta (with Kauai Nectar Farms Honeycomb, Bee Pollen, Local Red Salt, Truffle Oil, Micro Herbs, & Grilled Naan), the crab crusted lobster tail, the crispy game hen, and the soufflé cheesecake. The pear salad was terrific; all of the ingredients tasted fresh and it was well balanced. The ricotta was just "okay" but mainly because I'm not a huge truffle oil fan and also because they asked us if we wanted more pita and we said "yes" but they neglected to tell us it was an extra charge. The lobster tail was average. So many places in Poipu have "lobster with dynamite sauce" and we had had better on our trip. The crispy game hen was actually not that crispy after they drenched it in some kind of sauce. Finally, the "soufflé cheesecake" was really just cheesecake (no "soufflé" discernible). I went back and forth between giving 3 or 4 stars. If Yelp allowed 1/2 stars, I would easily give 3.5. read more

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We tried this restaurant for breakfast and dinner since it was close to where we were staying. Dinner was pretty good, but between salad and dinner courses there was a long lag and we were ready to go by the time the entrée came. We wondered if our server forgot to fire the entrees... The ribs on the appetizer menu are extremely spicy! The ricotta appetizer was amazing! The Caesar salad was blah. The lobster gnocchi was underwhelming as the lobster was dry. Hubby had the short ribs and they were really fatty. He loved the salmon sashimi. Breakfast was good, it was New Years Day but no special menu or any bartender for that matter. We both enjoyed the loco moco but wished for an Espresso Martini to start the new year. Oh well Servers were kind both times. read more

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We are here three separate times on recent visit to Kauai. First visit we were served by Candace. She was fantastic. We were sitting by a very loud 12top and requested to be moved as they were screaming and partying extremely loud. All good, we just wanted to hear each other and enjoy our meal. We enjoyed the special fish of the night and it was so delicious!!! We also enjoyed the yellow tale appetizer. Also delicious. Next am we tried for breakfast. Not amazing. I ordered the breakfast tacos. No real flavor and a bit of a gut bomb. Hubs had oatmeal. He said it was ok. Dinner again. Requested Candace as our server. Had beef ribs, yellow tail app, coconut soup and steak. Good meal. First night was better. But, still good. I think we were bummed the special fish dish was not available. I old visit again for dinner... read more

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Delish food and service is usually great - creative meals and cocktails too. Views are a plus as well read more

We loved Red Salt! Tucked within the Koʻa Kea Resort, it's the perfect place for a fancy meal. Prices are a bit higher than other places but you get what you pay for here and it's absolutely worth it. The food is phenomenal, drinks are made to perfection and service is amazing! We started with Red Salt martinis, made to perfection, and a fun bonus that you get your shaker at the table. We also shared the Seared Hokkaido Scallops, which melt in your mouth and pair perfectly with the corn and sausage mix. For dinner, I opted for the Cauliflower Steak and loved it. My husband ordered the surf and turf which was huge yet he still managed to finish every bite. The ambiance is lovely and while there isn't a direct ocean view, it was nice to check out the hotel and pool area that does have a view. read more

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Our server was great. The service from the hostess and even the bus boy was excellent. They all thanked us for dining with them. We felt very appreciated. The food was average. The prices were very high. I didn't think this meal was worth it because the prices are high without an amazing view. I'm happy we ate here, but probably wouldn't be back. The cheesecake wasn't that good and the Boursin mashed potatoes weren't that good. The chicken was just OK. The lobster and gnocchi pasta was pretty good and the bread pudding dessert was good. read more

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Breakfast was yummy. The Lemon Pineapple Souffle Pancakes are worth the wait. And their dinner was insane! Chef Kenny is talented! The Housemade Ricotta was flavorful and a great start to the meal while enjoying their tasty Kaimana Mai Tai. Our entrées were Blue-Crab Crusted Ahi, Madagascar Vanilla Bean Seared Opah, and the Hoisin Braised Short Ribs. All dishes were so flavorful, with both fish cooked to perfection and the short ribs so tender. The Passion Fruit Crème Brulé was very passion fruity. I can't wait to come back. read more

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Becca was an absolutely fantastic server. She was quick, attentive, and made the experience such a pleasure. She was on top of all of our needs and extremely helpful. The food is excellent, the fruit is so fresh I wish I could have it at home. I love that all of the seats have direct views of the water, it's such a beautiful place to eat. Both times I've had breakfast at Red Salt, the food has been phenomenal. And they fry the bacon to perfection. I would highly recommend and will definitely be back. read more

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Very disappointing experience overall. We made a reservation two months in advance because it was my wife's birthday, and we specifically requested a table with a view. Instead, we were seated near the entrance with a view of the wall. On top of that, the table was unstable and kept wobbling from side to side. We ordered sparkling water with lime. The lime was so dry and hard that we could barely squeeze out a few drops of juice. As for the food, we ordered the Herbed Focaccia. It was not fresh at all - it tasted like it had been sitting for at least three days, so we didn't eat it. The homemade ricotta was decent. We also ordered the Madagascar Vanilla Bean Seared Mahi Mahi, which came with black rice. The rice was cold. The Seared Ahi Steak was also disappointing. I understand that ahi is supposed to be raw inside, but it should still be properly seared on the outside. Instead, the inside was cold, as if it had just come straight from the refrigerator. In the end, we paid around $250 for a dinner that was extremely disappointing. The food and service were both very poor. I do not recommend this restaurant. read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Seared Ahi Steak - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

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I am writing this review and went to go pull up the photos I took for this place and I just looked at them, and wow, they look like they are out of a magazine. Look at that presentation! This place pays very close attention to their detail, not only with the presentation, but with the ingredients, atmosphere, service, the whole nine yards. They even put edible flowers into the food, that are some of the biggest "edible flowers" I have ever seen. I didn't eat my flower, but now I sorta wish I did, looking back at the photos. The gnocchi is probably the meal that stood out the most. Something about the texture gave it a almost mochi like consistency. Each morsel was dense, but soft, and sorta doughy and spongy. You have to try it! It's always a gamble when I order a steak "medium rare" and this place had it come out perfectly. It was soft and pink inside with a good crust on the outside. I liked eating the steak off of this piece of stone which made me feel like a caveman with just this huge piece of amazing steak. The server was really accommodating and friendly and did not feel over bearing in anyway. I appreciate how the restaurant had its lightning and made the room and area feel classy. The valet is free (just need to tip them) and the guys were super chill running the valet. read more

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Ambiance- 5/5 Nice views and decor It can be a good spot for a romantic dinner Service -5/5 Attentive and friendly One server did drop utensils accidentally and food got on my mom's dress but other than that it was great! We came for her birthday so they did a small birthday pizookie type thing which was nice Drinks: 4/5 I got the poipu paradise and it was delish. Tasted the Mai tai and pina colada as well. Both good. Mai tai at merrimans is way better. I got an espresso martini for dessert and it was 4/5. All the drinks are definitely overpriced but decent Food-5/5 We came a few years ago before pandemic and I think the food has gotten better Appetizers: Scallops: 5/5 perfectly cooked and flavors were great . So good we got a second order! Would definitely recommend! Foie gras: 5/5 I love foie gras and it's a good version. Portion is small it's good for 2 people Bone marrow:2/5 the only thing I was really disappointed in. Super small amount of bone marrow and lots of grilled onions or something on top that overpowered the flavor We would have gotten two orders had it been good. Bummer. Entree: 5/5 I got the local fish. It was tender and flavorful. Loved the side of mushrooms too. Tried my mom's crispy Cornish game hen which was tender and very good!!! Haricot verts also cooked well read more

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This was a standout meal for us and well worth the price. Beautiful setting. Excellent service and excellent cuisine. Menu features fresh fish and seasonal pairings. We came hungry and went big, two appetizers, sushi roll, two entrees, desert and drinks. Everything was delicious. The house made ricotta with honey comb and black truffle will live rent free in my head. The peppercorn crusted seared ahi tuna was the best I have ever had. The crunchy peppercorns were so flavorful and perfectly contrast with the buttery rare tuna. My husband enjoyed his lobster risotto and bone marrow side. I'm surprised they had any food left when we were done. The Hawaiian bread pudding was perfection, dense and flavorful with a delicious sugary crust. Definitely a top meal of our trip. read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Peppercorn crusted tuna - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

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My husband and for our anniversary dinner and the food and service were great. Our server, Ashely, was incredibly kind and attentive to details. The food was delicious, and we were lucky enough to be able to watch the sunset from our table. I took off one star because the front is often left unmanned, and if you want to call for a reservation or to go order, you will be on your own. We called to try to move our reservation time, and you just never get an answer even after leaving messages. We loved the food so much that we tried to order to go the next night and you simply cannot reach anyone by phone. We drove to the restaurant to order, and I can see the phone behind the hostess desk, and when I call there is no ringer on. They have the ringer off, probably because they are busy and do not want to take to go orders. That's all fine and understandable, but if you call the front desk, 10 feet away, they directed us to come in person to order. I showed up and was told they might not accommodate our to go order because they are busy... Luckily the bartender was able to take our order, but it just seems like they need to work on their communication. It's easy to answer the phone and say they can't take to go orders right now. read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Phone on silent - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

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My second time dining here (husband and I stayed at Koa Kea six years ago for our honeymoon and returned for our anniversary) and it was just as delicious as I remembered! A beautiful space, great windows, and very friendly and welcoming service. My husband ordered wine (epic wine selection available) but I got one of the cocktails, the Koloa spritz and it was very delicious and refreshing. We had the housemade focaccia to start, very tasty and the perfect little loaf for two. John ordered the ahi which was delicious and I ordered the Kona lobster gnocchi, which is probably one of the most delicious meals I've had, ever. So. Good. For dessert, they surprised us a little cookie in a tiny cast iron skillet with ice cream and a "happy anniversary" chocolate, and we each ordered our own desserts- panna cotta and the passion fruit crème brûlée. The crème brûlée was amazing ! (John loved the panna cotta- I didn't try it because frankly I was too full haha) Our server, Mayan, was so nice and more than once asked us if we just wanted some time to relax and sit at our table, which we did. He also indulged our dorky request to take a picture of my husband and I. Can't wait to return on a future visit to the island! read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Kona Lobster Gnocchi - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

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We came here for breakfast based on a recommendation from our hotel. We got there at 9 am and the place was pretty empty. Maybe only 5 tables had diners. We ordered the lemon soufflé pancakes, breakfast smoothie, and the basic two egg breakfast. The smoothie was super small and super thick. Like a yogurt texture. Overall the food and service were great. It was super expensive and not a great value so that's why 4/5 stars. read more

We stayed at Koa Kea Resort and came here for both breakfast and dinner. For dinner, definitely make a reservation, we walked in and waited to get a spot. Breakfast was great! I had the acai bowl and really enjoyed it. For dinner, we tried the ribeye steak and the lobster burger. The ribeye was massive and absolutely worth the price. The lobster burger was a standout, a bit pricey, and it came loaded with lobster, meat, bacon, and even a slice of pineapple that surprisingly tied it all together. There aren't many dining options in this area, so this spot is a solid choice, just be prepared for resort-level prices. The Poipu Paradise cocktail was a highlight super refreshing and highly recommended. Service could have been better, but it was still acceptable overall. read more

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We went for a nice dinner on our honeymoon and were disappointed by the lack of attention to detail for the prices. We ordered the Hamachi Sashimi & Bone Marrow for appetizers, Monchong & Ribeye for dinner, and an extra side of Boursin Mashed Potato's. What went well: *Staff was friendly and attentive *Bone Marrow and accoutrements were delicious *Ribeye was cooked to medium rare perfectly, and the au poivre sauce was a great addition to the dish What could use improvement: *The Ribeye dish stated it came with "Charred Broccolini" and "Caramelized Beefsteak Tomato". Instead I received unseasoned steamed broccolini, and a standard vine ripened tomato. They were cooked well, but for $75, at a minimum I expect what is advertised on the menu to be what I receive. If there was an issue or limitation in the kitchen, that was not communicated to me. *Monchong was very dry/overcooked, and the roasted carrots were unevenly cooked. *Mashed potatoes were lukewarm and undersalted While I understand prices at resorts are inflated, at a minimum I expect some attention to detail on delivering as advertised, particularly for the main dishes. Overall the experience was not "bad", but I would rather spend my money elsewhere in the future. Edit: grammar/clarity read more

Breakfast was amazing! Marlina was so sweet and nice for celebrating my birthday morning !!

The food was pretty good, and the pricing was quite high as expected for the location, but the service was lackluster and inattentive, The inside of the restaurant was also poorly lit and exceptionally hot which made the $300+ dinner for two less than magical. I'd rather get a Lobsterita at AppleBee's. read more

We went there today for breakfast. It was great and Marlina was so welcoming, especially after the hurricane. We will go back!

I LOVE U MARLINA!!!! Thank you so much for making our 7am breakfast experience such a comforting one! You took care of us so well and I enjoyed joking around with you too :) The food was amazing. Best egg benedict I've had and the lobster is a great touch too, haha. It was a flavor explosion! The egg omelet came with loads of potatoes AND toast. I'll definitely be hunting for that mango jam in shops around the island now. Don't forget to try the red salt at Red Salt! read more

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Third time dining at Red Salt in 3 days. Service was yet again very solicitous and kind. Marlina did a great job of taking care of us. Love her lattes! Can't recommend this restaurant enough, especially for people staying at Waiohai (sorry Marriott, you gotta up your game significantly to keep your dining business...) read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Loco Moco - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

Only dined here for breakfast but the food was great and Becca who served us both days was fantastic.

One of the bigger letdowns of our visit to Kauai. +1 The server was great. +1 The location should be great. The view from the restaurant to the ocean is nice, the property looks like a motel that needs an upgrade. -1 quality of the sushi was low. The rolls lacked flavor and interesting qualities. -1 up charge of $4 for a martini glass for a $20 martini. If you want $24 price it at $24. -1 very high prices for mediocre food. I don't mind paying, just make sure it's good. -1 inclosing, a general letdown. Within a few miles there are much better options. This is a hard pass. read more

Over all ambiance and service is wonderful! The prime ribeye was cooked to perfection. The cracked pepper ahi tuna was good but VERY peppery. The mash potatoes were not as creamy or warm as one would expect. read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - Prime Ribeye 14oz Boursin Mashed Potatoes Firecracker Rice - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii

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Food and service are both top notch and amazing. Was by far the best meal we had during our entire trip

Breakfast was delicious! ambiance also good to start the day! Marcina was great as well.

The scallop appetizer was really good. The scallops weren't sandy or anything, I think one might have been slightly undercooked but my husband ate it anyway. I ordered the gnocchi and it had a strong truffle flavor but I thought it was very good. It was also a large portion, I couldn't eat it all. The restaurant seems fancy but also on the noisy side. Service was nice but just a little slow, which would have been fine but I had three kids with me so it made it a little stressful. They also do have a kids menu, which I didn't know beforehand. The kids cheese risotto was good. read more

Red Salt at Ko'a Kea - scallops - Seafood Near Me - Koloa, Hawaii