Jamie W and I have yet to explore the island of Kauai, but we did have a longer-than-scheduled…read morelayover at Lihue Airport on the way back home from Honolulu. Three hours to be exact, and the airport was unsurprisingly quite small. There was a mini-market, a couple of places to eat, and this casual tiki bar. Of course we were drawn in even though it was crowded due to several concurrent flight delays. The bartender was busy, even providing table service without any staff assistance. We managed to snag a window-side table, and while we balked a bit at the price, we ordered a pair of $22.49 Macadamia Nut Espresso Martinis, a luscious libation of vodka, Borghetti espresso liqueur, macadamia nut honey, and nitro-infused espresso (Photo 7). It kept us going until our flight finally took off. COCKTAIL - 4 stars...pricy yet top drawer AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...it's the airport after all SERVICE - 4 stars...as attentive as possible TOTAL - 4 stars...last tiki stop before leaving the islands RELATED - Exploring Hawaii? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/n9JWu5nlzl

Food is the same through the entire airport (burger is good!) but our bartender was fabulous…read more Friendly and helpful. Best way to burn a flight delay ever Coronas were plentiful and cold

I absolutely had to give 4 stars : the barman on duty when I sat down was also the server; he was…read moreamazing considering it's a busy, busy airport bar. Bravo There's not a huge selection of foods, burgers and fries and a couple other snackable items; I didn't eat anything so can't comment on that . The drinks were good, a espresso martini and a pineapple (old) fashioned. It's very loud: when the flight announcements come on everyone talks so much louder ... so normal for an open airport bar.

Really good drinks but was a little shocked when we got the bill. Bloody Mary double $26 eachread more

We were a bit hungry after snorkeling at Poipu Beach and returning to lodging. The Nahwiliwili Bar…read moren Smitty's burgers was within walking distance. We ordered cocktails and settled in for smash burgers. Service was friendly and informative about various items on the menu. Cocktails were excellent and burgers were tasty. We were one of the first people at this establishment arriving around 5pm but soon place was filling up either at the bar or tables. For good food and vibes, check out Smitty At nahwiliwili Bar n Lounge !

Get the Mai Tai with the liliko'i foam!!!…read more I stopped by Nawiliwili Bar and I'm so glad I did!! I know they are a newer spot and they are already doing things right. Their Mai Tai is amazing and the liliko'i foam on top makes it even better. My server was Justine and she was so nice to talk to. She made the whole visit feel relaxed and welcoming. I highly recommend stopping in if you are in the area.

Call me Gaylord Focker,…read more Cause at the Mahiko Lounge... I Nursed the hell out of my drink. Thats right people, Mahiko Lounge is the bar connected to The Plantation House at Gaylord's and its one of Kauai's best little happy hours on island. The HH eats are a great representation of what living your best Aloha life might look like & the drinks will make you happy that it is Always 5 o' clock somewhere. Luckily for them and even Luckier for you... The Koloa Rum Company is located on the same property and provides the Mahiko Lounge and Gaylord's restaurant all the rum you can handle. We personally had the Koloa Rum Mai Tai, Coconut Cooler & Cucumber Lavender Mojito. Each were hand crafted, refreshing, and made with what I think is some of the best rum on the planet. So whether you sit at the bar to chit chat with the bartender or curl up on the comfy sofa to sip that perfectly prepared cocktail, remember you are on island time, so enjoy it! And in the famous words of Gaylord Focker... Focker OUT!

Friday, June 10 at 5:15pm…read more After a satisfying rum tasting experience at Koloa Rum, my wife and I headed over to Maliki Lounge to try the Koloa Rum MaiTai (per the recommendation of a Koloa Rum). Upon entering the lounge, my wife and I decided to sit in the teal couch located near the back of the lounge (in direct view of the bar area). Since Happy Hour had just ended, the large crowd at the bar left leaving a somewhat empty lounge. Equipped with my signature smile (my close friends always comment on the fact that I have an infectious smile), I greeted the bartender and ordered a MaiTai for myself and a margarita for my wife. After leaving my card at the bar(we were prepared to indulge in quite a few beverages), I presented my wife with her drink as we engaged in conversation on the comfortable couch. As we consumed our beverages, we noticed that a small crowd of folks began making their way into the lounge (I have to add that these individuals were not seated at the bar). As we arrived to the sad conclusion of our delicious drinks, I began to wonder when an employee would stop by and ask if we were ready for another (or simply just provide the bare minimum of customer service by checking in with us). Initially I assumed that staff only provided service to patrons that were seated at the bar. However, I observed that some of the individuals seated in close proximity to us were receiving service. I looked at my watch and observed that a whopping 20 minutes had passed since we finished our drinks. During that 20 minutes I observed patrons receiving additional drinks and receiving food. During this time, I also began questioning my sanity. As each patron was checked on by an employee, I began to wonder if my wife and I had gone on to the afterlife and were invisible. The final straw was when an employee walked past us after checking in with another couple. I'm not one to pull the race card; however, I couldn't help but think that race played a factor because the other patrons were Caucasian (White). At this point I was ready to remove myself and my wife from this disgusting environment, and made my way to the bartender to close out my tab. If I were the stereotype that you see on Fox News (and if my card was not on file), we probably could have walked out of this bar unnoticed (without paying). When I calmly and quietly expressed my concern to the bartender (please note that I led with the fact that she makes delicious drinks), she told me that staff were busy tending to both lounge and restaurant patrons. However, we observed staff chatting casually amongst each other and moving with absolutely no sense of urgency. After delivering an uninspired apology (basically telling me to hurry up and close out the tab), she stated that she probably should have checked in on us herself. At this point she was better of telling me the real reason why we did not receive any customer service. I loved the cozy environment and the delicious drinks. However, that means nothing when you're a willing and able paying customer who is not acknowledged. My wife and I had a great time at the Koloa Rum Tasting Room. However, the lack of customer service at this establishment was an alarming reminder that we are indeed on a plantation. I understand that the pandemic is impacting everyone to some extent (especially the work ethic of staff); however, management needs to address this issue (there are multiple Yelp reviews expressing similar experiences.

Always a staple for eating in Hawaii. They are consistent and this location was no different. I…read morelove coming here even without a reservation they were able to seat us right away. They had free valet parking , just leave a tip. Friendly and helpful staff. Great views. We were seated at the area closest to the beach so fantastic view and lovely outside breeze. Our server was really nice and fast service. I got the prime rib and it was a perfect size and cooked to what I asked. I loved it. Great food and location. Always a great place to come for lunch or dinner. I totally recommend this place for good food and service.

We came here as we're staying at the nearby resort (we thought our food credit could be used here,…read morebut that was not an option when we received the bill). There's 2 sections to the restaurant: upstairs is more prime rib and lobster and downstairs is more tacos and burgers (we opted for the latter). We shared the calamari- the shape was unexpected, but it had a great flavor and texture. I ordered the Mac nut fish, which was swordfish at the time, and the sauce it came with was so good. My husband ordered the kalbi ribs and chicken, which he enjoyed.

I came in for lunch on Sunday and was able to get a seat without much of a wait. There were a few…read moretables open when we got there, but quickly filled up after us. Everything was great! I loved the Turkey Club and my daughter loved the Kalua Pork Flatbread and the Calamari. Overall, it was a great lunch and would love to go back when we are in Kauai.

What a wonderful Yelp find! Lots of locals, so you know it's good and worth the price!…read more We had the Braise Short Rib special with Garlic Mashed potatoes. And the Hawaiian plate: Kaluah pork, lomi salmon, ahi poke, mac salad, and poi. I'm not a huge poi fan- so I won't comment. But I do love mac salad and theirs is special! Less "wet" from mayo, more on a thicker side-- superb! The braised short rib was melt in your mouth with a great semi glaze and fantastic crust on the meat. It is a sports bar- so the atmosphere is quite lively and loud. Do not expect a quiet dinner. But the patio is less loud.

We went here on our actual anniversary. The restaurant is on a golf course. There is alot of new…read moreconstruction in the area but Uber found the place quite easily. We had a view of the ocean. It was pretty high waves after a nearby tropical storm so that was fun to watch. The photo ops are incredible here. They have wonderful seating overlooking the water. Would be great to come here just for drinks. We started with an ahi sashimi appetizer. We pretty much get ahi sashimi at every restaurant in Hawaii. It was good. The hawaiian painkiller drink was nice. Not too strong. For entrees, I picked Kampachi which came with bok choy. Although the portion looked small, it was a good size. Very flavorful. I had a hard time picking between 3 fish entrees. This one worked out well. My wife had a shrimp farfalle pasta. She enjoyed it. When we went to order dessert, they brought us out a lava cake like dessert with happy anniversary written in chocolate on the plate. Complimentary and such a nice touch! It seems like they do pay attention on the reservation. The place was semi-busy but not packed. Bar looked huge. Great service as well.

An unforgettable dining experience in Kauai Hualani's was,…read morewithout a doubt, one of the finest dining experiences we had on the island of Kauai. From the moment you arrive, you know you're in for something special. Complimentary valet parking, breathtaking views of the ocean, beautifully manicured golf course, infinity pools, and even a distant lighthouse create an unforgettable setting before you even sit down. We started with the Lobster Tempura and the Grilled Octopus, and both were excellent. The cocktails were beautifully crafted and the perfect way to begin the evening. For our entrées, we ordered the Kampachi (the first fish on the menu) and the Filet Mignon. After sharing both dishes, my husband and I completely agreed--the fish was the clear winner. It was absolutely outstanding. Every element on the plate complemented the others perfectly, creating one of those dishes you remember long after dinner is over. The filet mignon was very good--perfectly cooked and flavorful--but if we returned, we would order fish again without hesitation. In fact, we'd probably try the other fresh fish option as well (I believe it was Opah). Dessert was the perfect ending to the meal. We enjoyed the warm chocolate cake and the Hawaiian-inspired banana split, both beautifully prepared and delicious. This is the kind of restaurant you choose when you want to celebrate a special occasion or simply treat yourself to an exceptional meal. The combination of stunning scenery, attentive service, creative cocktails, and outstanding cuisine makes it well worth the visit. It's easy to understand why Hualani's has earned such an outstanding reputation. This was truly one of the highlights of our trip to Kauai, and we can't wait to return. Highly recommended!

Ambiance was perfect. Mele was our waitress and we connected right off!!! The brochette starter…read morewas perfect! Fluffy bread with honey drizzled over the bread and the sweetness of red grapes mixed with macadamia nut brochette spread over the bread was amazing! The tender short ribs were drenched in sweet bbq sauce that made everything so easy to ravage it down in no time. My wife had the fish special that used the seasoning of munchong to make her meal superb!

This was my third World Cup appearance at Gaylord's, and at this point I'm basically the veteran…read morestriker they keep calling out of retirement because I refuse to stop scoring... on the cheese board. Unless FIFA introduces a salary cap for Brie consumption, I'll be back hopefully before the next tournament. One clutch tip before you try your own championship run: reserve a table. This place stays packed harder than a World Cup final because it sits in the middle of a gorgeous Lihue plantation where you can ride trains, sample rum, and wander around pretending you're the captain of your own national squad. If your afternoon turns into a highlight reel after a couple rum tastings, sub in your phone and lock down that reservation before you're left watching from the sidelines. The Macadamia Nut Crusted Brie and grape salad deserves its own Golden Boot. The warm, crispy bread delivers perfect assists while the sweet grapes and creamy cheese play tiki-taka so beautifully they'd make defenders dizzy. Then comes the creamy portabella mushroom pasta, which doesn't need chicken, shrimp, or any superstar signing--it carries the entire squad by itself and wins the game in extra time. The staff treats every guest like they just scored the winning penalty, and if you really want the championship experience, request the patio garden. Dining out there feels less like lunch and more like lifting the World Cup trophy in paradise... minus the confetti, plus way better food. Oh BTW there bar and cocktails are to die for!!

It's a hotel pool bar. But the drinks are yummy with a strong pour. We stopped here to use the…read morefacilities and grab a drink. We just sat at the bar after our drive to the North Shore. The beach at the hotel was a little rough and we couldn't use it. But nice views.

Nice little bar at the Aston Islander on the Beach hotel. Opens at 3:00 pm. Had some nice drinks.read more

Honestly, i thought this place would be overpriced restaurant to milk the hotel guests. I was…read moresurprised to find the prices reasonable for the food, view and proximity. I had dinner there twice and had poke bowl, fish salad and tacos. Everything was ok but i am not gonna lie, i looked at other people's plates and wished I had their food instead of mine lol. Their burgers and chicken fingers looked great. You order at the bar and pick up at the bar. So there is really no "service" since you also have to bus your own dishes.

What a view! Add the strongest tiki vibes & I'm all in. You can park at Lydgate park and easily…read morewalk over, if you are not staying at the Hilton. You place your order, are handed your finely crafted tiki drinks and are given a buzzer for your food. We ordered two versions of the Mai Tai and both were delicious, you can't go wrong. There was plenty of covered seating to choose from. The basic burger was cooked to perfection and delicious. I love sweet pickles, so I was a happy girl. The fries are coated in some sort of magical crispy dust. The view can't be beat. You will not regret stopping by here. Beware of the highly trained chickens, lol.