Fresh and delicious! The friendly staff were excited to have you there and share the fresh fish and other offerings from their menu. The location and ambiance was island perfect and my poke bowl was not just delicious but somehow just the right size! Salads and sushi rolls held up to my poke bowl, thanks team for sharing a bite. I did not share any of my bowl ... it was mine! A definite must visit and a staple on any visit to the island in my future. read more

A family-owned spot in downtown Hanalei for 30+ years. Arrive early to put your name on the list - they gave us a buzzer and we walked around to the neighboring businesses while we waited. We were seated on the covered patio, overlooking their lawn and the Hanalei River. The food was straightforward and good, but what we liked the most was our server. I sadly don't recall her name but she was a young girl who grew up in Hanalei and clearly has passion for food and for service. She knew the menu and spoke confidently about it, and shared little anecdotes along the way - she was attentive, informative, joyful, and yet not intrusive. A shining service star. The mixed tempura starter was tasty. The salad was a plate of fresh veggies - fresh but basic in presentation and flavor. I personally might skip this next time. We really enjoyed the daily special of soba noodles with yuzu sauce. Bright and citrusy. And the sushi rolls we enjoyed were clean in flavor with a focus on the fresh fish: -Next Best Thing -Hamachi -Avocado roll Another friend said that she orders the sushi rolls to go. And she also told me about their neighboring fish market, if you want to get fish to make at home (we did not have time to check that out). To cap our our meal, we shared a piece of the Homemade Dolphine Ice Cream Pie and it was decadently delicious! read more

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We went there for drinks and a bite to eat . Very ,very disappointing, food was way over priced and flavorless. Soup was just warm. Drinks were the worse we have had in Kauai and way, way over priced! Slow down for a look HOWEVER DO NOT Stop :/ Giving one star because they won't let me give less. The overall vibe is negative:( server was new and nice very. Hostess was rude , GM was unfriendly and not welcoming ...! read more

Dolphins is a great place for island ambiance and fish. They have great sushi rolls and nigiri. Had their daily catch. And get the seafood chowder. So good! All wonderful. Our server Nick was fantastic. However, their prices are too high. That's the unfortunate part. I get that food costs more on the islands but they're a little over the top. But we'll be back. It's our tradition. Oh and don't order the mai tai. Too sweet. Martinis and the Rising Tides were great. read more

Love the Dolphin and come here whenever I'm on the island. An absolute must. Friendly service, fun vibes, great food. The Flyin' Hawaiian with SEARED hamachi (ask for it seared it makes a difference) is THE BEST SUSHI ROLL I'VE EVER HAD. I ordered 3 last time. Truly incredible. All the nigiri I've had there is wonderful and I love the seafood chowder, miso soup, and the edamame with sesame oil. The Unagi hand roll is delicious. No notes. read more

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Cute place with a pretty outdoor seating, came here for dinner when we were on the island and had the monchong grilled fish - it was a pretty big size and was delicious. Service was just okay. read more

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We ate here twice - first got some excellent poke bowls from the market then a couple of days later at the sushi bar restaurant. The market was fun - they had huge slabs of fish and various other awesome delectables. It was a hard choice! My daughter (a sushi ninja) agreed the poke bowls were some of the best we've had (and we had a LOT in Hawaii!). The full restaurant was awesome - we got to sit at the sushi bar and had an amazing time! We had their omakase roll that was poetry in a sushi roll and many other delicious offerings. My daughter ordered uni sashimi and they spent 15 minutes crafting her offering - it was absolutely beautiful! And they added a little more uni than usual - she was in heaven! Definitely give both a try, worth every penny! read more

Been spending a lot of time on Kauai this past year and one of our favorite places to stop by and grab some sushi rolls is the Dolphin, not the main restaurant but the fish market on the backside of the restaurant. They have a nice assortment of fresh seafood, pok'e, rolls, and cuts by the pound. We usually get a couple rolls and share them, really like their spicy ahi and spicy salmon rolls. Fish is always super fresh and they are filling for sure. They also have some artisan products for sale like sauces, jellies, pasta, and nuts...a lot more as well. Definitely recommend here but come early, rolls often sell out quick. read more

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Came for the seafood chowder and ahi rolls they sell in the back of this restaurant. The seafood chowder is just like clam chowder and theirs is excellent. Not sure what the clam like meat is but they don't call it clam chowder for a reason but it taste and feels like clam. The roll is well made and we liked it . Definitely coming back for more goodies the next time. read more

We got to The Dolphin around 4:30 pm on a Friday to put our name on the list and ended up snagging one of the outside tables while we waited, which was perfect because they were happy to serve us drinks. We started with a passion fruit margarita and Moscow mules, both super refreshing and a great way to kick things off. For food, we shared the calamari and I have to say, I've never had calamari cut in such big, chunky strips before. It was different in a good way and really tasty. For my main, I ordered the fish and chips. The fish itself was good and cooked well, but I'd probably skip the fries next time since they were nothing special. We also had the opah, which was a really nice, flaky piece of white fish, along with vegetable skewers that paired well. The seafood chowder was delicious and comforting, and the hamachi was fresh and flavorful. Our waitress, Phoenix, was super friendly and made the experience even better. She's been there for 15 years and it really shows she knew the menu inside and out and took great care of us. Dessert was the ice cream pie and honestly... it was to die for. Overall, great drinks, solid food, and a fun vibe while waiting for a table. Definitely a spot I'd come back to. read more

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Food was pretty good, Tierra our server had a horrible attitude to us. Another server had to even excuse her behavior. Made me not want to go back. read more

Food is okay but extremely overpriced Service was a bit slow but okay Chairs are hard and uncomfortable Took a long time to get meals after order. Casual, open air environment read more

The Dolphin - Bar area - Seafood Markets Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

I was a little hesitant with all the mixed reviews but I'm so glad we had dinner here before we left! We chose to dine outdoors, it was early evening and the sun was still out. The service was great; we had someone with celiac and our server provided detailed options! We ordered the crispy calamari and stuffed mushrooms for apps; both delicious and freshly prepared. I didn't expected a calamari steak vs the usual rings but it was so yummy and tender! The boys all ordered fish and chips, I ordered the rainbow poki bowl and our god daughter ordered a gf sushi roll. The seafood was so fresh and all the food was delicious! I wish we had more room for dessert but we were so stuffed from all the delicious food! read more

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Arrived during happy hour, when the restaurant was closed. The staff had a lot of attitude when we asked to put our name on the waitlist for dinner, hence taking a star off, but the space the patio is in is beautiful so we elected to order poke that came from the market and we sat outside the restaurant. This was some of the BEST poke I've ever had! Definitely glad we made the stop! Water jugs were empty which was frustrating. We just brought water in from our car. read more

The Dolphin - Seafood Markets Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

The food was okay but overpriced. Not only was it overpriced but the service was slow. It took 20 min for our food to be served. I ordered a salad with fish of the day ( how long does it take to make a salad?) and my husband ordered the fish sandwich. The salad was a ripoff - $16 and extra $14 for the fish for a total of $30!!! I don't recommend ordering the salad. you're better off ordering the batteted fish and fries. So. so sad that the travel app recommended this restaurant. read more

Amazing food! The fish was super fresh, atmosphere was emaculate, and service was great. It was so good that we went twice during our three day stay in Kauai. The calamari is also a must order! read more

The Dolphin - Firecracker and Hanalei rolls - Seafood Markets Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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Went to the dolphin fish market and ordered the rainbow poke bowl and seafood chowder. Both were literally amazing. Poke bowl is $25 so a bit pricey but was very fresh fish and the sauces were amazing read more

The Dolphin - Seafood Markets Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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This was the first place we ate upon arriving in Kauai and ended up being a good choice. It's a cute spot right by waioli stream with outdoor and indoor seating. We ended up sitting inside right next to the bar which kept producing delicious looking tropical drinks. Our service was excellent and as a lot of these reviews mention, Brandt was our server and loved his energy and insider tips. It was difficult deciding what to get from all of the tasty sounding dishes on the menu, and with Brandt's help decided on the teriyaki ahi and swordfish. Don't be fooled, the teriyaki on the ahi is very light and it's great flavor, as well as with the special seasoning they gave. Cocktails here are also fabulous and was a great way to be welcomed to the island. Note that prices are a little on the higher side, the cocktails are around $20 and the teriyaki ahi was $46. These are fresh caught fish so the pricing seems about right and you can taste the difference. read more

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I used to love coming here - on my last trip on island, I came here probably 5 times. This time, I stopped by for a couple rolls and was a bit disappointed. The rolls I chose were large and fresh but were lacking in flavor. The hot sauce the waitress provided and the ginger is what gave it the most flavor. It sadly was nothing to write home about and underwhelming. Our waitress wasn't very personable and we were shocked at how it wasn't busy at all. I guess their quality went downhill? read more

The Dolphin - The dolphin - Seafood Markets Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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Fun place to eat. The food is very high quality so expect whatever you order to come out tasty!! Service is good but a little on the arrogant side read more

The Dolphin - Seafood Markets Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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We stopped here right when they opened, it has a beautiful garden behind the restaurant. I had the fish sandwich and my husband had the calamari sandwich and both were very good. We both ordered Onion rings and should have only ordered one as we couldn't eat it all. Staff was friendly. read more

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Wow. Laid back vibe and super fresh sushi right along the river. Great beer selection and just go with the servers suggestions and you will not regret wandering in. read more

The Dolphin - Right next to the river... chill vibe. - Seafood Markets Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

The restaurant is very nice; indoor, patio, and garden seating. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Ordered a calamari sandwich which was pretty good size; able to half it and share an order of frings (fries and onion ring combo). The prosecco with passion fruit was nice and was the seasonal beer on tap. Great place to eat and relax. read more

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We stopped by the Dolphin Fish Market for lunch and had the worst service ever experiences during our trip. The staff was noticeably rude, unwelcoming, and dismissive, which made us feel very uncomfortable as customers. Service matters just as much as food, and this was a big letdown. The prices were also quite high, and given the poor attitude, it didn't feel worth it at all. There are so many better options in Kauai where you'll be treated kindly--unfortunately, this wasn't one of them. read more

Not bad for areas choices. Casual yet food seems better healthy value than a few other places we tried in the area. In the area look at The W restaurants as well read more

I would like to start off with saying that not all negative experiences deserve negative reviews. There were some good points to this restaurant, so I will share my experience as a whole. When I arrived at this restaurant with my family, I went up to the hostess stand and grabbed a menu to review as we waited. When the hostess arrived, she grabbed the menu from my hand and asked if we wanted to be seated for lunch. I said yes, I was only trying to see what they had. She snapped back with, well do you want to have lunch or review the menu, because I'm not sure what you're doing. My initial reaction would be to leave, but we drove out specifically to come to this place, so we stayed. Unsure why she was angry about, but the rest of the lunch I could hear her bad mouthing the other servers, other patrons and a little family that had stopped to look at the water. It was a bad look for restaurant having this person as the one who greets and seats people. That interaction aside, the location is nice and relaxing. Our server was nice and the food came out pretty quickly. I had the fin burger, which was a big nice piece of fish. Everyone enjoyed the food and drinks, my kid loved playing around in the grassy area around our table. Overall I gave this place a good rating, despite our experience that day and I'm hoping that lady has better days. read more

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Loved this place so much we came back again a day later during our trip! Both nights were busy but we were seated quickly- one night by the sushi bar inside and another outside by the river, which was beautiful at sunset but keep in mind it did get pretty dark to see once the sun went down so I'd recommend the outdoor seats for daytime. The sushi & sashimi was extremely fresh and flavorful. Some of the best salmon belly I've ever had! We tried a variety of sashimis and rolls and couldn't have been more impressed. A must-visit when in the area! read more

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The outdoor ambiance was amazing. The food was great. The service was amazing. The only thing that is holding it back from 5 stars was the price. Our favorite dish was the calamari. read more

The sashimi was great as was the garden seating. Kind of overpriced for the area though. The drinks were good though. read more

Very good sushi, presentation was great, see the picture, good size not gigantic bite size. Great service and very casual ambiance ambience. Price was more than I expected. read more

The Dolphin - Sushi - Seafood Markets Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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One my favorite restaurants we went to on our visit. The fish was so fresh and cooked well. The restaurant is right next to the river. read more

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We hadn't been here for 10 years, but I can remember and previous visits that we've always gone there at least twice to eat. We drove 45 minutes to get there, and it was better than what we remembered. They've expanded it on the Sushi menu and everything, the waiter recommended to us melted in our mouth. It was so delicious. They have just the right amount of seasonings and salts to their sushi Highly recommend this spot read more

Staycay from Oahu to visit friends who were visiting from the mainland. They love it there...But there is a reason you walk in and no asians or locals...food really isn't very good and it's overpriced. Yah, we were in Hanalei so to be expected but it was talked up so I expected a lot. No res, and small spot. No biggie, we went early for our table of 18-ish. Ordered 9 cocktails while we waited...Bam $200 right off the bat. Drank throughout, so big part of our bill. But we had choke kids, so could have been way worse. The menu is overwhelming and since I was in charge of ordering for myself, hubs, and baby, I just winged it. - Seafood Chowder - actually very tasty. Fresh? No clue...it's in chowder, so doubt it. But yummy. - Artichoke Crowns - tasty, but couldn't really taste the artichokes. I grew up eating it steamed wiht mayo/shoyu, so this was a little overwhelming. Tasted like Italian seasoning. Good if you don't like artichoke. - Edamame - cooked well. Seasoned well. These were good. - Shrimp Tempura - at least it wasn't the Costco frozen ones, but not very good. Manini shrimps, and not sure if oil was dirty or if was too hot, but something tasty a little funky. - Hamachi Kama - oddly the waiter kept trying to get me to not get the kama, and get shutome instead. Not sure when Shutome became better than Hamachi, but not in my world. This was okay. Needed a sprinkle Hawaiian Salt. It came so late though so we were full. The rolls lil bit too haole. Just want something simple without all the fufu stuff to cover up the taste of fish. Settled on the - Napali Roll - real crab topped with ahi. Needed thicker slice ahi cuz after that much vodka hard for taste when it's paper thin. But at least simple so was actually pretty good. - Ordered the Flyin Hawaiian since I'm a sucker for softshell crab, but didn't get it Think they gave the Hanalei instead. Junk. Too spicy to taste anything. I wouldn't go back unless the friends really want to since our entire purpose was to hang out and have a good time. We def had that! But def not the best food experience. read more

This place is very slow. If you want to save your precious time do not come here. They took more than one hour just for a salad and grilled fish. I would never come here read more

I ordered the mon Chong fish, something I've never had before, and was blown away! I ordered it charbroiled with drawn butter and it was some of the best fish I've ever tasted. We got there 20 minutes before the dining room opened and enjoyed a drink on the patio until it opened. Luckily there were only 2 of us or we would've been waiting for a while. I highly recommend making reservations if you have a larger party because it fills up fast. The service was very friendly and attentive. read more

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WELL WORTH THE STOP. Fish sandwich is so dank! Service was top notch and how can you not love lunch by a river with the beautiful Napali coast mountains on the other side. Definitely worth a pit stop. I think it's worth going for lunch than any other time because the sandwiches are MONEY read more

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Going to keep it straightforward, almost all of the food was very good. Fish was fresh, sushi wasn't bad, and the edamame was a good choice and great for sharing as it's a large amount. Skip the baked potato, it was sad and not to mention it arrived well after we received the rest of our food. The service however is absolutely awful. The bartender was insanely rude as we arrived. The host was grim and did not follow through with bringing us a high chair. Our server started out friendly but failed to keep that going and when we tried to order another drink (we were not offered one), she said "well the bar is closing down but since it's a beer, that's easy to pour". I've been in the service industry for over 10 years, and I would never say that to someone. We were not even given a warning that the bar would be closing and offered another drink. With all the amazing choices, we felt that stopping here once was enough. It's not on our list for a revisit. read more

We asked a few locals there favorite poke spot on Kauai and kept hearing about The Dolphin. They weren't wrong! Fresh caught Ahi and Swordfish were the highlight. Yummo! read more

First, if the restaurant is busy, and you can't find a spot in the lot, do NOT park on the road across from it. There are no signs which say it's illegal to park, but someone defaced our windshield and those of all the cars in front of us and behind us with surfers' wax. What a nice surprise. I would call this review "bait and switch."The exotic fish special the waiter boasted about and which we ordered, turned out to be nothing more than dried out swordfish. Side orders of grilled vegetables were skewers of raw zucchini and mushrooms. Garden salad was a large bowl of gigantic leaves of wet lettuce with a few cherry tomatoes, a couple of cucumber slices, some shredded carrot and a few hard croutons tossed in. For our grandchildren, we ordered fish and chips and chicken fingers. They were acceptable, as was a himachi crudo. We ordered a roll that was supposed to contain crab meat but we couldn't find the crab. Might as well have picked this roll up at the supermarket. We were a party of 4 adults and 2 children. Two cocktails were uninspired. The bill came in at almost $500. We would not have minded the expense if the food had been at all worth it. read more

This was our absolute favorite finer dining meal on the island! We had sooo many items and everything was so fresh. Our server was super sweet (forgot her name, tall with long blonde hair) and had great recommendations. The vibes were special and we had an all around amazing evening. read more

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