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    The Royal Lanai

    4.2 (26 reviews)
    Closed • 6:00 am - 11:30 AM, 5:30 pm - 9:30 PM

    The Royal Lanai Photos

    THE ROYAL LANAI ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - The Royal Lanai

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    Cosmopolitan
    Rachel K.

    Best sushi I've had in a long time! Our fav on our trip for sure. The staff were so nice and helpful with their knowledge of the cuisine. Beautiful view. Wish it was open for lunch!

    9 piece sashimi
    Cody H.

    The staff were very friendly, sashimi was fresh, and the food was delicious. Our reservation was on a Saturday night and surprisingly it was not super busy. My only complaint is that there was no dessert. I was looking forward to some sort of celebratory dessert to end our anniversary dinner. However, I didn't see any dessert on the menu, so I assume this restaurant does not offer dessert.

    Wines and more drinks
    Alice B.

    Food was top notch and the service was great. We sat at the sushi bar and it was a very memorable and enjoyable experience. We had two rolls and my son even tried two pieces of tuna sashimi at the end of dinner and raved over it. We asked the server and she said the tuna was local which is why it tasted so fresh, and smooth like butter. My husband had the spider roll and the California roll because my daughter wanted to try crab for the first time. The California roll here is made with real crab not the rubbery artificial kind this roll is known for (which is definitely a delicious upgrade in case that wasn't obvious). The spider roll was a fun roll that soft shell crab , avocado, red onion, cucumber and had a crispy tempura flake exterior on top of a sweet chili sauce. Overall a great experience and we highly recommend it!

    Otoro nigiri
    K T.

    My husband and I came here for Valentine's Day and despite the holiday, food and service was great! Hostess advised they were busy, but food and drinks still came out in a timely manner. Definitely looking forward to returning here again.

    Escolar, octopus, hamachi, pork skewers, spicy tuna roll
    Drea P.

    Food was great, especially the pork skewers. Service was extremely slow. Saki was very expensive.

    California roll and edamame
    Andrea W.

    We haven't been to this hotel since they became Sonesta and wow they have transformed it so beautifully. The vibes were super relaxing. We checked in with the hostess and she walked us to our table which was out on a private lanai looking over the pool and out to the harbor. (All outdoor seating, no air conditioning seating). It was perfect as we have 2 young kids so it contains them without bothering other parties. Everything we ordered was delicious! The edamame had such good taste and lots of garlic! California roll was made with real crab! Hamachi Kama was perfectly fried and gone in no time. Spicy tuna roll was better than salmon roll (but that's because I don't care for raw onions). The chef special, OMG divine! Service was a bit slow (refilling water and getting more utensils) Kamaaina gets 10% off. (Not sure if there are restrictions ie- alcohol.) We celebrated a birthday and the server knew but no complimentary birthday treat.

    Uni

    FOOD: The sushi was strangely seasoned with rock salt, the sushi rice, barely seasoned, gritty. $8 for 5 piece ahi at times blew our entire dinner out of the water, nonetheless not a verbal complaint about it from us to our server. the only complaint we voiced was after my partner and I simultaneously started gagging during our tasting of the uni, my girlfriend had to spit it out after really trying to swallow it. It had an ammonia flavor. we determined with the help of google and our past experiences eating uni, that it was spoiled uni. This caused a confrontation and a commotion from our server. enter Karen She began our dinner with a strange demeanor, this dreadful tude without even needing to speak a word, but oh boy, she sure did make it show with words. To preface, we are a simple young couple, we are very nice, we work in the restaurant industry, I'm a server in Oahu so we are very understanding people when it comes to food. All we said was "we think the uni went bad, can she get a new plate, she couldn't swallow it" she follows up with "went bad like how?" And we go "well like spoiled I guess " and she repeats "like how it spoiled?" And my girlfriend has to say "it tasted like pee, like ammonia" and she goes "like pee?". At this point we were so confused and not angry, and she said "okay because I served that uni to someone else just now, you're saying that the uni that I served earlier was spoiled too, okay I'll tell my chef that you said it was spoiled" beyond unbelievable. An apology would've been nice. My girlfriend nearly puked in your restaurant and now you're arguing with her, no mention of our anniversary either, insanity. At the end of the dinner I attempt to redeem the $16 dining credit that open table provides to its users. I show her and she goes "how do I do that?" And I don't react, again being a server has taught be to tolerate a lot. But the fact that she needs to ask me, and laugh it off. Our trip is short and our night was wasted here.

    Tyler J.

    Surprisingly decent for resort standards. Salmon and yellow tail were actually better than most normal sushi on the island. No tempura dipping sauce available though.

    Sushi Bar

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    2 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    4 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    5 months ago

    had an amazing experience at the royal lanai! delicious food, awesome service, lovely restaurant

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

    Absolutely bomb, a hidden gem in hawaii, service was great, food was great and the outside seating is great.

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    Ask the Community - The Royal Lanai

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    Alisa Sushi And Thai Bistro

    Alisa Sushi And Thai Bistro

    4.1(434 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    •$$

    Heading off the island with a storm on our heels, going to the beach or eating outdoors wasn't…read moregoing to happen. We looked around and Thai food sounded amazing. Tucked on the second story of a shopping center we found Alisa. We weren't disappointed. The staff was so kind. It's nice when you can tell they love their job. They have indoor seating and patio seating. In an effort to stay dry, we chose inside. We got pineapple fried rice. Poke nachos. A couple sushi rolls and summer rolls. Everything was amazing. The e pineapple fried rice came out on a massive plate and had so much pineapple! Definitely not the skimpy amount you typically get. The poke nachos were served on potato chips, which was an odd choice. Not our favorite we've had, but they weren't terrible. We will definitely be recommending when people head to Kauai!

    I called to make a res for 9 just 15 min before arrival. The staff was super friendly and let us…read moreknow that in preparation of Hurricane LaLa they would be closing early. We were thankfully accommodated since we were tired from travel. The atmosphere was welcoming! On a nicer day, would have sat on their open porch to eat. The restaurant itself is located in a second floor of a plaza. Apps we got: Gyoza (comes with 4), Papaya Salad, Poke Nachos. Kids enjoyed them! Papaya salad- we chose to get non spicy for the kids. Adults also enjoyed it, dressing was light and a good balance of sweet and sour. Poke Nachos- also good balance as the fish was fresh! The "Nachos" are just Salt and Vinegar chips you would buy at a store. I would reorder just for the fish and the marinade! Entrees: Beef Noodle soup, Curry Pork Belly, Thai Basil Pork Belly, Pad Thai, Kids Chicken Katsu Everything was delicious! The Pork Bellies were crispy ! Pad Thai was definitely the best dish as it had authentic flavors. Food Allergy Note: there are peanuts in many of their dishes. We will try to come back again before we leave Kauai.

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    Alisa Sushi And Thai Bistro - Bar

    Bar

    Alisa Sushi And Thai Bistro - Beef noodle soup

    Beef noodle soup

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    Tom Yum soup

    The Fish Express - Spicy Ahi & Spicy Salmon poke

    The Fish Express

    4.4(1.2k reviews)
    1.9 mi
    •$$

    The moment my husband and I landed, we wanted to get the vacay going by looking up where to eat…read more Based on the time we landed we noticed alot of places closes by 8pm.The Fish Express was close to where we were at and they were closing at 4. We were there around noon and it is amazing to see that most of their fish were gone, I knew that was a sign that this spot was gonna be good! The fish express offers ready to go foods, hot food, and also fresh fish like a fish market! My husband and I always just get the poke and this time we tried ahi shoyu poke, ahi maui onion poke, ahi spicy poke with crab, and sliced tako. They don't have a seating place everyone either ate it outside the store or in their car. The poke... cuts like butter! When it cuts like you know you picked a good spot! There's something about getting the first bite at the start of your vacation that kick starts the day, time, and the vacation. Getting the right eats makes a person remember that special place and since it was our first time in Kauai, finding The Fish Express and eating one of the best pokes really set the mood to our vacation and I can't wait to go back!

    Thor little spot was great!! Fish was pretty fresh! They…read moresell everything per lb and they options for poke bowls also. They have toppings à la carte. It's pretty reasonably priced, If I had more time I would have gone back for more! And they were super friendly also.

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    The Fish Express - Inside

    Inside

    The Fish Express - One of the best poke spots!

    One of the best poke spots!

    The Fish Express - Tuna Sashimi and Unagi bento

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    Tuna Sashimi and Unagi bento

    Alisa Sushi & Thai Bistro

    Alisa Sushi & Thai Bistro

    4.1(27 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    This was our second visit in two years, and somehow it was even better than we remembered. The…read moresushi is incredibly fresh and absolutely delicious--every roll was beautifully prepared and full of flavor. This time we also decided to try the Green Curry Chicken, and all I can say is... wow! It was a literal taste explosion. The perfect amount of heat with layers of incredible flavor that kept us going back for another bite. What really makes this place special is the owners. They are present, welcoming, and you can genuinely see the pride they take in every dish they create. That passion comes through in both the food and the entire dining experience. If you're in Kauai and looking for outstanding sushi and exceptional food, this place is a must. We can't wait to come back next year!

    I was very disappointed with my experience at Alisa Sushi & Thai Bistro. The restaurant felt…read morecluttered and unclean from the moment we walked in. The bathrooms were dirty, and the floors throughout the restaurant were so sticky that you could hear your shoes sticking as you walked. The food was also a letdown compared to the pictures online. Service was extremely slow, and our meals were brought out at random times, making it impossible for our group to eat together. The portion sizes seemed small for the prices charged, and the overall flavor and quality of the food were below expectations. To make matters worse, some of the dishes appeared dirty when they were served. Overall, the entire experience was disappointing, especially considering the reviews and photos that led us to try the restaurant. Unfortunately, I will not be returning.

    Photos
    Alisa Sushi & Thai Bistro
    Alisa Sushi & Thai Bistro - Nice food with great View! Love it!

    Nice food with great View! Love it!

    Alisa Sushi & Thai Bistro

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    The Royal Lanai - sushi - Updated October 2026

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