Loco moco and chili pepper chicken is killahs staff is amazing and the portions are also amazing

Close to our hotel, and frequented by locals! Ordered one combo plate to share for dinner since all we've been doing is EATING on this getaway!!! The combo plate included chicken, hamburger steak, and kalua pork, white rice and mac salad. Winner! The hamburger steak was tasty and the gravy was smooth. Don't like all meat patties because it's tough. This patty was home made and delicious! And kalua pig is all the same, right? NO WAY!!! This kalua pig was different, better, with flavor most intriguing and inviting you to eat more! How amazing is that?! Even the chicken was ono. And the mac salad was fresh and full of flavor too. Usually, mac salad is not my thing, but I found myself taking more than one bite! Will definitely be back for more great food on our next Kauai adventure! Keep up the great cooking! Woo hoo! read more

The Korean ribs are absolutely phenomenal--so tender, juicy, and bursting with flavor that I'm starting to suspect there's a secret pineapple juice infusion in the marinade. Every bite is a perfect harmony of sweet, savory, and umami that lingers delightfully on the palate. The garlic shrimp are without a doubt the best I've ever had--plump, succulent, and perfectly cooked. Each jumbo shrimp is coated in a lusciously garlicky, buttery glaze that's utterly irresistible, leaving me savoring every last bite. Honestly, it's seafood heaven on a plate. This meal isn't just delicious--it's mind-blowingly, palate-pleasingly unforgettable. read more

From the moment we landed at Lihue, 5 people we met on our trip recommended Smiley's. We made a pit stop. Got there before a crazy crowd. Ordered the teriyaki burger deluxe with fries, and the garlic shrimp/chicken combo. Food and service were Kaboom . So close to the airport, should come here for first meal or back for plane food on return trip read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Eating Smiley's at our hotel - - living the dream - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

So glad we hit this place up before rush hour for lunch. They seem to have a good following and I can see why. The portion is perfectly generous. My husband and I each got a combo plate of Kalbi and Katsu chicken--each was very good on their own but I feel like the katsu is under-salted while the Kalbi was way too salty...so eating them side by side felt like a strange exercise of adapting to the different sodium flavors. Also grabbed the ube cheesecake (good) and the banana cream (extremely yummy!!!). read more

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8.5/10 Got the combo plate with garlic shrimp and garlic chili chicken. Shrimp and chicken were delicious. Only small complaints is that the rice was a little mushy and the chicken was not spicy at all for garlic chili sauce. But that's just me being nit picky. Definitely one of the best meals I've had here in Kauai read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Solid local stop Smiley's is one of those small, no-frills spots...more grab-and-go with no real place to sit, but that's part of the charm. It feels very local and unpretentious. I got the kalbi + garlic shrimp combo and it was exactly what I expected...flavorful, well-cooked, and satisfying. As someone who eats a lot of kalbi, I'd say it was good and hit the spot, even if it didn't necessarily stand out as the best I've ever had. Tim got the loco moco and said it was fantastic...rich, comforting, and everything you want from a solid plate lunch. Overall, a great, reliable local spot when you want something quick, tasty, and authentic without all the tourist hype. Would definitely come back read more

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SO GOOD. You need to stop by this place whenever in Kauai. Me and my boyfriend shared the Combo Shrimp and Kalbi plate. The sides were perfect for me! The Kalbi was amazing. It reminds me of my Korean Grandmas marinade so it tasted like home to me. Shrimp was great too. Not too oily and has lots of flavor and perfectly cooked. 10/10. We wanted to stop by one more time before we left but realized they were closed on Sundays.. until next time read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Smiley's came highly recommended from locals. When we came in late after a delayed flight, we pulled in starving. My husband and I shared a mixed plate and both left feeling full. The price is high but considering the weight of the container and the amount of protein and the fact that it fed hungry adults, I have no complaints. My daughter had teriyaki chicken. And it was my favorite of all the meats we tried. Solid place for Hawaiian plates but only if you want takeaway. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Mixed plate and chicken teriyaki - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

We came here again to taste smileys chicken, garlic shrimp and kalbi ribs. This place is a small hole in the wall in a strip mall that is locally owned. The restaurant has a walk up window where you order takeout out. It was very popular with locals. The service fast and helpful. We loved the smiley's chicken with garlic chili sauce. Everything was very tasty. Plates had generous portions. We loved this place! read more

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This place was so amazing that we came back multiple times within a few days! The portions are huge and one entree is definitely enough to be filling for one person. We loved the garlic shrimp and the smileys chicken and reordered those two dishes multiple times! The line can be long but it moves fast! Definitely recommend this place highly! read more

Cool little walk up spot. Super cute, very friendly worker greeted us and took our order. We had just got off the long flight from Sacramento, so everything on the menu sounded good. I asked her to pick what i should get. So she ordered me some chicken, garlic shrimp, rice, and mac salad. And i threw in a banana cream pie because it sounded good. We ate it in the back of the Jeep because we didn't want it to get cold. MAN O MAN!!!!! It was SOOOO DELICIOUS. I'm going back on our last day here before we fly back. Also, I needed recommendations on a place to get coffee and a cool place to buy shirts for souvenirs and she helped with too. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Garlic shrimp, chicken (forgot what kind it was), rice and mac salad. - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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I haven't come here in a while.So I decided to come here for lunch.I called to place my pick up order.They stopped doing dine in's since Covid.20 minutes later it was done.Friendly staff and the food was good!.I wasn't surprised.I got the Smiley's chicken n hamburger steak combo plate.I enjoyed it.I will definitely be coming back soon.. read more

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Came here right when we landed and boy oh boy, it did not disappoint. We got the mixed plate, which includes smiley's chicken (garlic chili), hamburger steak and kalua pork. We also got a side of lau lau. The chicken was so so good. It was still crunchy, even with the sauce, it was crunchy crunch. It wasn't spicy and it wasn't too sweet. The kalua pork was good, a little salty for me but the hubs said it wasn't. So it depends on the person. The hamburger steak was flavorful and cooked well, not over cooked at all. The best item we had was the pork lau lau. I mean talk about melt in your mouth. It was THAT good. Like we wanted to go back again the next day and just keep eating it. It wasn't salty and it wasn't too fatty. It was just so delicious. The prices are a bit more than what we expected but hey, it's like that everywhere. There's a lot of items on the menu that anyone can try something new everyday during a seven day vacation. Great variety. There's good parking at their location. They make ordering and picking up easy. The owners and cashiers were super nice and efficient. We loved this place and the food. Definitely will be going back again and again. read more

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The only place open at night on the way back to the hotel... And it was a solid option for dinner! Had quite a wait as it was busy. Took around 30 minutes to get our food... Ordered a loco moco, a beef stew plate, teriyaki chicken, a cheeseburger, and fries. My son said the loco moco was good. Not as good as Marks, but good. 3/5 The beef stew was good with a good ratio of meat to vegetables. 4/5 The wife said the teriyaki chicken was ok. I tried it and it was decent. Not something I'd order again. 2/5 The cheeseburger and fries were good! Nice homemade patty and the fries were salted just right! Would definitely order it again. Honestly got this in case the beef stew was bad... 4/5 Great local plate lunch place that's open late. Worth a stop for a hefty plate lunch! read more

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Just landed in Kauai and needed a quick bite near the airport. Found this spot and realized it's takeout-only, which was totally fine, we ate in the car with our boxes. Smileys Chicken - Almost like sauced-up popcorn chicken. Crispy, flavorful, and really enjoyable. (4/5) Loco Moco - I always have to get a loco moco whenever I'm in Hawaii. This one was solid and classic, about on par with others I've had. (4/5) Crispy Shrimp - We ordered a few pieces. A bit pricey at $2.50 each, but tasty and well-cooked. (4/5) Overall, a great spot for quick bites. I've had better food elsewhere, but I really enjoyed this meal, especially since I was starving after landing. read more

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Smiley's Local Grinds was one of our favorite food spots during our stay in Kauai. We ended up going there twice! The place is definitely a hole-in-the-wall type spot and looks like it used to be a small dine-in restaurant that decided to stick with that same setup after the pandemic. Don't let the simple appearance fool you though, the food is excellent. We placed our order over the phone both times, and the food was ready right when we arrived, which made everything super convenient. Their kalbi ribs are top-notch, flavorful, tender, and cooked perfectly. Prices are a little on the higher side, but honestly worth the money for the quality and portions. Highly recommended if you're looking for great local food in Kauai. read more

This was our first meal in Kauai and it certainly didn't disappoint! The order ahead option is a good idea if you're pushed for time, since the grab & go window takes a bit (but alas, worth the wait). I had the garlic shrimp (incredible) and chicken katsu plate that comes with the rice & Mac salad - insane. All so good! Highly recommend the garlic shrimp, they're fire. We also had the Kalbi short ribs which were amazing. Everything was so flavorful! I'd come back here again for sure the next time I'm in Kauai. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Garlic shrimp + chicken katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Looking for a true local island food? This place is recommend to me by a staff at one of the hotels I was staying at nearby. :-) Is a true local favorite with the locals. So favorite they still go old school and still accept cash. They don't have an indoor seating. You order right from the window to take to go for a picnic or to your home. I recommend getting their famous chicken or Kalbi. I even heard the prime rib is delicious here. It's so close to the airport you can take some to go with you on your flight back home. read more

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Awesome Hawaiian food! Totally recommend! It was a bit of a wait, but worth it. No place to sit down. Grab and get in car or take to a beach. read more

So we came here because we saw it was some good reviews and everyone was just giving this place high remarks. So we tried it before we left the state. This... is some of the best we had the whole trip. We tried a couple of different Hawaiian bbq places and they were good... this surpassed them all for me. It's kind of a lil hole in the wall you come to the door to order and they make it, give it to you and you either eat in the car or take it home. I ordered the bbq plate I believe and my husband got the butter garlic shrimp. Heads up.... It's messy for that garlic shrimp. I would wanna eat at a table or somewhere to control the mess but my lord is this food so good. That mix plate... everything on it was perfect. If I could have my way I'd go there again and again to try all kinds of different plates from there. I recommend checking it out and trying it! read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

First meal when we landed in Kauai. Absolutely delisssh. It was order for to-go. Order at the window and wait til they call your order. Waited for just under 10 min. As soon as we got to our hotel, we got to trying this deliciousness. The chicken was v flavorful and the skin on was giving!!! If you like a good tasty, chicken then this is for you. We got two orders but honestly we could've shared just one combo plate because it was that generous. Amazing eats - would eat again!! read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Smileys crispy chicken with rice and Mac salad - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

YUM! This is #1 on our list for best food in Kauai! We got the Smiley's chicken, short rib, and garlic shrimp plates and finished it off with the banana cream pie! Get it all. You will love it. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Smiley's chicken plate - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Very solid spot , portion sizes are a great amount, delicious taste and wallet friendly ! I ordered the KALUA + SMILEY'S CHICKEN combination plate which includes chicken long rice + lomi salmon. The kalua was super juicy, soft and exploding with delicious flavor ! The smileys chicken is basically fried chicken and also tasted great ! I wish i did opt in for the garlic chicken as it was a little bit more spicier and more flavorful. The long rice with lomi salmon was also delicious. Everything tasted very fresh and was very fulfilling ! I didnt care too much about the rice nor the mac salad as they are pretty standard. The chatsu plate was also pretty tasty. It tasted almost similar to the smileys chicken but more of a breaded crust outside as chatsu is suppose to taste like. Just an FYI there is no seating here so it is probably best to take it to a nice beautiful beach nearby to absorb the good vibes! The service was fast, exceptional and staff were very friendly. This is the go to spot if you needing some great takeout on the go. Very affordable, great service and huge fulfilling portion sizes. Needless to say this will be my go to spot whenever i am back on Kauai ! read more

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We got off the plane, picked up some goods from Costco, and were starving. My Yelp feed recommended Smiley's. And I tell ya, its probably one of the best recommendation of all-time in my book. We ordered two simple combos: ~ Smiley's Chicken entrée ($14.60, with garlic chili on the side). A big scoop of rice and mac salad. This was a great tasting "Welcome to Kauai" plate that I was dying to dig into! The chicken was perfectly cooked and had that crispy Hawaiian smell to it. Added that garlic chill and man was I in la la land! ~ Kalbi Ribs entrée ($23) with a big scoop of rice and mac salad as well. A typical combo. The beef was also perfectly cooked, or grilled in this case. It was well marinated and still tasty being late in the evening. We both had a "finally somebody made it right" moment. Things to note and why these guys deserve 5-stars: - We debated on coming here with less than an hour before closing, but took a risk. The lady that took our order was really helpful and nice. Kudos to the welcoming service. - It's a small hole in the wall, so don't expect to dine-in. Take it home (or sit in your car) and enjoy! - The menu is simple but common, and the prices reasonable. I wanted to try everything. - Definitely a hidden gem, and one of the best all-around in town! read more

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Great option nearby our resort! Boxed lunch's and lots of different choices. My wife was craving the garlic shrimp. The shrimps were really well flavored. Most of it was stuck on the outside the shell. This type was more on the dry side, not as saucy but still delicious! I ordered the garlic fried chicken. Honestly, I was craving this the most as soon as I got to Hawaii. They did it right, fried perfectly and loved that they saved the chicken skin as well. Huge portion! I honestly say two people could share this plate. Overall, a good local spot. Will forusre hit all your needs. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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The amount of food they put into each bento box is crazy! You better be very hungry or you won't be able to consume them in one sitting! Garlic shrimps are so flavorful and the Smiley's Chicken reminds us of Korean fried chicken. If you go during dinner or lunch time, the line could get long and you'll have to wait for 20 minutes before you get your food. read more

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Stumbled upon this place after getting out of the airport and it did not disappoint! From the service to the food, it was all great. The place is small and takes to go orders (didn't look like there were any seats to sit inside) but they had our food ready pretty quickly and it looked clean in the inside. We ordered two combo plates with chicken Katsu and beef galbi. We also ordered a side of kalua pork. The chicken was okay, it was a 6/10. Ribs and Khalia were both a 9/10, so much flavor! I'd definitely go back again when we're on the island. read more

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Best kalbi on the south side. Good portion sizing and taste is amazing. Got the kalbi and smileys chicken mixed plate for lunch and it blew me away so much I got it again for dinner. Good pricing for the amount of food as well. Service is excellent here and it's locally owned so you will feel the Aloha. read more

Definitely a good local grindz place! Just a pick up window to take food to go. Food seems fresh made to order. Wait with buzzer until ready. - Smiley chicken = delicious fried chicken and skin, with a soy sauce based full flavor that is the ultimate comfort food, loved it! - Garlic butter shrimp = huge shrimps with addictive garlic flavor. These got cleaned up very fast by us:) - Sauteed ono (special that day) = 2 big pieces of ono, but the taste was kinda bland. Maybe needed to be seared more with some added flavors. Great hawaiian foods. read more

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So glad we found Smiley's and it perfectly satisfied my cravings. It is located in a strip mall and is only take out orders - you order at the window and wait about 10 minutes for your order. It also looks to be pretty popular amount the locals. Food was delicious, I got the garlic shrimp and lau lau plate. The generous portion made it perfect for sharing and thoroughly enjoyed it. I also have to say that the prices were pretty good and I will definitely be returning next time. read more

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This is the best local Hawaiian food we've ever had. Got the combo plate with the best kalbi, Katsu and side of kalua we've ever eaten. It's worth it, just go. read more

The food here, unbeaten. The service, fast and friendly. The vibe, quick, local & easy going take out (they don't have indoor seating). When I landed from the mainland, this was my first meal on the island. Their mac salad is so good! They have a rotating specials menu and much to my luck fish katsu was on the menu the day I visited . I don't know if I will ever recover from how absolutely perfect, magical, delectable & delicious it was. Hands down one of the best meals I had on the island during my whole trip! read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Fish Katsu Plate Lunch - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Smiley's was the top spot on my list based on other travel websites and reviews. I was disappointed to see that there's no seating - only takeout - but it was ok since we just took it to-go back to our hotel by the pool. It took about 15-20 min for our order to be ready. There's not much to do while you wait except check out a surf shop nearby. There's also a park ~7 min away but we decided to just chat and wait. I got the kalua pork loco moco which was delicious and a huge serving size! I thought it was going to come with mac salad too per the menu but it's ok because it was plenty of food for more than 1 meal. I also tried the garlic shrimp. My friends would've preferred that it was peeled already, but the flavor was good! Overall good value for the price, but not in the best location and for us it required an uber from our hotel. I'd love it if they could have a few tables outside but they'd have to block off part of the parking lot to fit seating for more than 4 people. Apparently they used to have inside seating pre-pandemic so maybe they'll get back to that? I also wish they delivered via Postmates, especially since it was only takeout anyway. I'm glad I went for authentic Hawaiian cuisine, but there were also spots closer to us with seating that offered comparable dishes. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Menu - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

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Food: Smiley's Chicken as a side (Spicy Garlic) Price: $10.50 Overall: Last spot in Lihue that we tried during our layover. The store is more so a Togo counter! We got there when they opened and decided to try the chicken. The chicken pieces was tasty with the garlic sauce and we decided to eat it with our onigiris. Great spot for Hawaiian eats! read more

Probably the best food I've had during the whole vacation. The short ribs were amazing. I can see why there was a long line out the door. Also went for the Ube cheesecake, which was amazing. Seems to be food for the locals and I really enjoyed it. read more

The shrimp plate was everything. This was our first dinner spot after we flew in, and probably had this for dinner most nights than not during our trip. Service was great, but seriously best butter-garlic shrimp I've ever had. Ambiance is just fine as it's a pick up spot only . A must when in Kauai! read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

One of my fav stops for filling & flavorful meals. The ahi katsu is my usual order when it's on their specials menu. Smiley's is honestly such a hidden gem. There are other local spots that get a lot of recognition. But this is where the locals go. My pau hana dinner spot. read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Ahi Katsu - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

Every time I visit Kauai, this spot is what I look forward to the most. It's always been my favorite place to eat! Their Smiley's Chicken is hands-down the best, and the staff is always so kind and helpful--always ready with great recommendations. Right now, they're only doing takeout, and I'm not sure when they'll return to dine-in. When it was open for sit-down, it was a small space but had a cozy, welcoming vibe. It's not ideal for big groups, but absolutely perfect for a relaxed meal. A must-visit every time! read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii

We went to Smiley's straight off the plane! I saw this restaurant come up on Yelp! when I was looking for places to eat while in Kauai. It did not disappoint! We got the chicken katsu and the the teriyaki chicken. Both of the dishes we incredible!!! However, I knocked a star off because the wait time, when we were the only people in line took quite a long time - almost 25 minutes. It was fresh and delicious, but the wait was unexpected for our two food items. We highly recommend Smiley's! read more

Smiley's Local Grinds - Teriyaki chicken - Hawaiian Near Me - Lihue, Hawaii