Chicken in a Barrel Hanalei

After hiking Kalalau (18 miles… yeah), we were beyond hungry — the kind of hungry where you’d eat your own backpack if it had sauce on it. So we pulled up to Chicken In A Barrel BBQ around 6:30 PM on a Thursday, and honestly… it hit the spot in the best way. We ordered the 1/2 Chicken, the #3 Baby Back Rib Plate, plus a full order of fries and a side of ranch. Total came out to about $50, which felt totally fair for the amount of food and how filling it was. The ribs were my favorite part — smoky, meaty, and not dry at all. They had that real BBQ vibe without being drowned in sauce. The chicken had a solid char on the outside and stayed juicy inside (which is not easy after a long day when you’re eating fast and don’t want to mess around). Fries were crispy and salty — exactly what you want after a hike like that. This place is simple, casual, no fancy nonsense — just good BBQ that makes you feel human again. If you’re on Kauai and you’ve been hiking all day (or even if you haven’t), this spot is absolutely worth it. We left full, happy, and already talking about coming back again.

The food here was good with good flavor. The portions were a decent size. We ordered a pulled o pork sandwich and lived the fries. We also enjoyed the actual chicken itself! The staff was nice, there’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Overall it was good, but not a MUST on a short trip. However if you’re local or on a longer trip - it’s a great place for chicken.

Delicious comfort food in Hanalei Bay! It gets pretty busy here but the wait is never too long. My husband and I split the combo which was chicken, beef, pork and ribs. We added a side of loaded fries. Equally all delicious. The kids got chicken nuggets and fries. Love that the chicken is real chicken and not that fast food kind of chicken. Everything is a la carte: sides and drinks as well, so your bill does add up, but it’s worth it. There’s some cute shops around for when you’re done eating.

Good BBQ spot! The forgot a rib on my entree but I won’t hold it against them. The food was great and came very quick, especially on a busy evening. Sweet potato fries and slaw are very good. Great that the plates are gluten & dairy free too

My husband and I got the smoked chicken (takeout). Delicious — and the portions are generous! If you want to hit your protein macros and enjoy some juicy, tender, flavorful, amazing smoked chicken, this is your spot. Friendly and fast service! Highly recommend!

The last time we were in Kauai we ate here & it was really good. So when we made it back to Kauai we wanted our son & his girlfriend to experience it too. They did not disappoint. The chicken was amazing!! My wife & I got the chicken for two with a side of fries & they got the sample platter. All the meats were good but the chicken was the best. The rice was decent. The chili was good but too sweet for us. The fries were great. It took some time to get our order but it was really busy & there were only three workers. We felt they did a good job taking care of order, meal prepping, serving, & keeping up with the ice machine etc.

They serve up some good chicken & ribs - all portions are huge!!. The chicken was moist & lightly spiced. The ribs good as well, but I thought the chicken was better. Sides of coleslaw & chili were good size & also tasty. They were happy to give us fresh hot chili since they guy didnt call out when our order was ready at the counter...no big deal. You wont be disappointed!

The BBQ chicken here is great tasting. While it had more of a Southern feel than Hawaiian to me, the portion size was decent for the price, and the chicken itself was very tasty and juicy. They also offer a variety of sauces. Highly recommend!

Can't say enough good things about this place. Great prices in an area where everything is expensive. Great hours of operation in an area where everything closes early. Wonderful and friendly service. We went twice during our stay in Kauai. Kailua pork is good and almost every restaurant that we ate at, but this place had some of the best traditional barbecue on the island.

Chicken in a Barrel BBQ in Hanalei, HI, is one of those places that come with high expectations, especially for anyone in search of great barbecue. Yet, our visit was marred by an unexpected and persistent enemy: flies. The sheer number of them was overwhelming, making it nearly impossible to take any pictures or fully enjoy the meal. But I digress. We ordered a sampler and a side order of pulled pork. Everything was decently good, as one would expect from a barbecue joint. However, the true star of the show was the chicken. Juicy, tender, and packed with flavor, it was easily the highlight of our meal. The chicken alone is worth a return visit, and I'd love to come back to savor it again, hopefully under less fly-infested circumstances.

This was a nice and hearty meal. We ordered the sample plate and chicken plate. I think their chicken rocks: perfectly seasoned, crispy outside and tender inside. Very comforting to eat. Everything else was great, but still not as good as the chicken. It was also neat how they had a handwashing station with nice soap. Very convenient and thoughtful. Overall a great meal. This was a nice and hearty meal. We ordered the sample plate and chicken plate. I think their chicken rocks: perfectly seasoned, crispy outside and tender inside. Very comforting to eat. Everything else was great, but still not as good as the chicken. It was also neat how they had a handwashing station with nice soap. Very convenient and thoughtful. Overall a great meal.

We had the sampler platter and it was pretty good! The chicken was definitely the highlight from the sampler. The rest of the meat was not bad. Since we checked in, they gave us a free burger and that was pretty good too. Service was super good and fast! If you're kama'aina, definitely let them know! There were tons of chickens around prying for food, so definitely watch out for that. Other than that, the ambiance was pretty chill and it wasn't too hot!

There's better places to eat in Hanalei but I'm not sure there's better employees at any of those places. Seriously, the staff I interacted with at Chicken in a Barrel must've aced their hospitality class. Not only did they seem happy and welcoming but they exhibited a can-do spirit when things were hugely busy. So someone is doing something right here and it didn't go unnoticed. Chicken in a Barrel is a casual, order-at-the-register place with equally casual outdoor seating. If you're rolling in, still sandy from Hanalei Bay, you could do worse. I'd say the thing to get here is the chicken which was quite good but after ordering a chicken dinner I noticed that their yelp check-in deal gave me a free pork sandwich and you know what? That was even better than the chicken. The only negative I can report is that the side dishes didn't live up to the proteins. Neither Chili (which came with the BBQ plate) nor Hawaiian Slaw tasted good and the rice (which also accompanied the BBQ plate) was of no interest to me. Stick to the proteins here and you've got a quick, casual meal that'll amply satisfy.

Pretty darn good food! Small portions for the price. I thought a $5-6 side would be bigger than a cup, but apparently not... so they focus on quality over quantity. Getting the attention of the service took a minute, but they're friendly.

It was crowded as it was dinner time. An adorable black cat kept us company. The rice, chicken, pork, and BBQ sauce were delicious. The ribs were dry and flavorless. Guess they were not fatty cuts.

I am so glad we discovered this amazing barbecue place. The service was amazing and quick and the chicken was so moist and the barbecue sauce was like to die for! I'm afraid to leave a good review because of might get really crowded, but I was really happy to eat here. The ten year year old cashier was professional, and cute!

We were looking for something a little different, and a local recommended this place. You order at a counter and pick up food a few minutes later. There is an outdoor dining pavilion, but also some counter seating inside the building. We ordered the sampler platter, chicken platter and pork platter, as well as a pulled pork sandwich. Food was good, and all plates were served with rice (a little bland) and chili. We started with the loaded fries, which was different, but very good.

Solid food, nice place, people etc. I did the rib and chicken with slaw instead of rice. Took some home.

Truly some of the worst food I've had in my life... poor meat quality, tough and flavorless...

Bottled water was nice and cold. Came here on recommendation from pool buddy. Baby back ribs with ok macaroni salad. All my food was room temperature. Ugh. Counter person was picking their teeth with a toothpick, wtf. Imo ribs were tough. Even the local feral black cat would have nothing to do with my offer of meat, offered 3 x. Guess cat is like me. Looking for an epic $21 meal. BUT, folks love this place. Just saying I had high expectations but this meal went into the trash.

The perfect post-beach meal. Just a short walk from Hanalei Bay, this place is awesome for some great BBQ. My group of 3 shared the sampler plate, onion rings, and chicken plate, and we polished everything off. Sampler Plate (5/5): Perfect for the indecisive person. You get a mix of all the different meats they serve. Of course my favorite was the chicken (hence the name of the restaurant) but I thoroughly enjoyed the pulled pork and rib. Chicken Plate (5/5): Just delicious. The chicken here is amazing. Juicy, tender, and full of flavor. This is how BBQ chicken should always be. Love it. Onion rings (4/5): You can never go wrong with a side of onion rings. These were perfectly crispy and delicious. Chili (4/5): This comes with the plate along with a scoop of brown rice. I thought the chili was good. It had generous chunks of tomato and meat, you can tell it was homemade, not the can BS. Overall, I'd recommend Chicken in a Barrel. The service is quick and friendly, and there is plenty of seating in the area. Highly recommend for meat lovers.

We thought the food was delicious (pulled pork fries), the service was very friendly and prompt, and the prices were super reasonable. It's in a good spot and we wouldn't hesitate to return.

Oh man, Chicken in a Barrel BBQ is incredibly good! I ordered the chicken of course and two ribs. For being known primarily for the chicken, the ribs were fantastic! The true star was the chicken though. It was moist, flavorful with that perfect crispy skin. I don't remember eating such good chicken in a long time. Instead of the rice, I had fries and I highly recommend doing the same. So good!

This place has fantastic bbq and amazing drinks! We had the Koloa rum Mai tai and it was as if we were on a beach with fresh squeezed juice! The chicken bbq was well marinated and juicy! The ribs were delicious too! Definitely a great stop!

Not our first visit, but we realized again that this is one of the very best places to eat on the island. You cannot beat the combination of excellent service and delicious food at a reasonable cost. I got the ribs and subbed onion rings for the chili (this is the one menu item I avoid), and it was a good choice. The 5 ribs were super meaty and tender, and paired nicely with the spicy BBQ sauce. My wife got the quarter chicken plate and subbed mac salad for the chili. The chicken is always great and this was no exception today. Flavorful and more importantly, not dry. It's pleasant to sit outdoors and enjoy the breeze. It's kind of a weird sensation you get as chickens wander around your feet as you eat one of their own though. But that

Had this for lunch today. Wasn't bad. The chicken was tasty, and the Mac salad was really good (not swimming in mayo like most places). We did the #2 sampler. Everything was good, especially with their spicy barbecue sauce. The food cap was quickly, under five minutes maybe closer to three. I like that it's served with brown rice by default. The chili at first I didn't like it and then as I got down to the bottom of the bowl actually really was savory and pretty darn good, definitely unexpected Definitely worth a try, the meal was more than enough for me and my girlfriend so the portion size is great

Great food, service was above and beyond ! Causal vibe to the place. Asked what local places to eat at next. She was very gracious, offered several ideas. Thank you !

Came here twice while staying at Waimea Plantation Cottages. You order on the website and the waiter will bring your food. Food was delicious. So filling!! Customer service was 10/10.

I got my food before I got my change from ordering that's how quick they were! The cashier was very friendly and informative. Out door dining. The chicken was really good. I didn't try the chili but my party I was with didn't care for it. But I enjoyed my meal I'll be back!

There wasn't anything exciting about the sampler or bbq sauce. Ultimately the food was lackluster and the Bible verse in the box didn't sit right with my family.

We got the chicken for two meal (half chicken, chili, and rice). The chicken was excellent: such a tender bird and a nice barbecued flavor throughout. The bbq sauce was perfect for me: really tangy, a little spicy, and a little sweet. The chili wasn't my absolute fave, but it got the job done. At $25, the cost is about equal to one entree at a sit-down spot on the north shore. Seating can be a bit tough to come by, but we were able to nab a spot at the counter-style table. Expect to share your space with some of Kauai's famed chickens looking for a quick bite. Wonder if they know what it is they're clambering to snack on...

Fries were excellent. Chicken ok. Ribs and pork were dry but tasted better when slathered with extra sauce (which was excellent). People taking orders were efficient and fast. No effort to be friendly or helpful. It was a little messy and dirty in the seating and lobby area during a less than super busy time.

This was a good eat after our hike at the Kalalau Trail! We ordered a sampler plate for us two to share and we could barely finish. Had to save for dinner the next day. Their chicken was so juicy, the meat and the skin fell right off the bone. Their ribs were so juicy, it came right off the bone as well. It was smoky and chewy. Cant pick a favorite out of them when both of them were equally as deliciously satisfying to eat. There was a long line when we arrived at around 6:30 pm and the side tables to eat at were packed full. There was parking available right at the shared lot up front. It was downpouring rain that night, so the outside seating was not an option. Overall, I definitely recommend them! Was such a good last minute find!

Best smoked chicken I've ever had. If we are ever in this area again we will be sure to stop by.

A single portion is really enough for two! Chicken was cooked to perfection. Fun place.

The service was great. The place has small sitting bars, seems like people take the food outside at the tables but my family and I decided to eat it at the bar because there were too many roosters and flies outside (which is normal in Kauai). The food was average. The chicken wasn't juicy at all tho. All the meats, the chicken and the ribs were dry over all with less fat. We were there for the chicken but the fries was the best out of all three dishes. I wouldn't recommend the chicken. I don't think I would go back for the second time tho.

Omg Chicken in a Barrel can take all my money!y wife and I were walking around Hanalei today and found so many places to eat.. but the SMELL ALONE of CIB drew us in they had quite a few menu options but the sampler try caught our eye. We decided to share and we were both STUFFED by the end of our meal. Pro tip: it only comes with one rib but you can order an individual rub for about $4.. well worth it! I also ordered a side of Mac Salad. All their meat was tender, juicy, and absolutely smothered in BBQ, but you can grab extra sauces at the drink/utensil/condiment/etc station. Another thing to note is that we had about 6 orders in front of us but our food literally came out in 3 minutes. The cooks back there were cranking it out! The line never died down the entire time we were there, either.

I got the shredded beef plate and the meat was very good. The sweet potato fries paired perfectly! I wish there was an option for sides instead of having to get the rice and chilli. I didn't eat either other them. I would definitely go back the bbq beef was very good!

We were here 10 days before we tried chicken in a barrel. When we come to Hawaii we want fish and we are from the south so BBQ is not high on our list to eat on vacation. We finally tried this after being disappointed at a lot of the other places and I was shocked at how good it was. The chicken was moist, well seasoned and just really smoked which is hard when it comes to chicken. My husband had the pork plate and it was not near as good. I'd say the stand out side was the fries. Very crispy and good. Mac salad was just ok. I was pleasantly surprised by the chili, which I thought was a strange pairing with bbq but it was good!

Stopped in Hanalei for lunch as a group. We all did different spots. BBQ was great! Chicken was super tender and juicy. BBQ ribs were super good and seasoned well. Kind of small but overall worth it. Sauces were good! Chili was ok, but not something I'm trying to eat when it's 80 and humid. Overall great choice, good food, super nice people and great spot for a quick lunch. Island prices but not too bad.

a decent chicken spot - service was good and i enjoyed the sampler plate we got. this place provide indoor and outdoor seating.

Good food friendly service, really liked the chicken, moist, nice Smokey flavor, portion was large

The chicken was juicy and flavorful! We ate at the Ching young market. Everything was delish! I'm glad it came with brown rice. The service was excellent! The ambiance was awesome besides the fact that a chicken may steal your food every now and then. As far as pricing, it is decent. You really feel the island vibe at this place.

Thoroughly enjoyed our baby back ribs. Took them to go and ate them 30 mins later and they were still worth five stars. Staff was a little checked out, but they got me my food and the ribs were good enough that I'm not docking a star. Honestly to find a meal of this size / quality for $20 on Kauai is quite the win I will be back.

We did a day visit to the area and on the way back from the beach we stopped here. My co worker recommended the place so said why not. We were definitely not disappointed. The food was delicious! I had the chicken plate and my husband did the chicken and ribs. Chicken was so juicy and smokey and fall off the bone. Best chicken I have had! The bbq sauce was also on point as well as the chili! My husband also agreed it was good stop.

No idea how this place has so many good reviews. The rotisserie at Costco is better. The plates come with brown rice + chili, which like the chicken, were tasteless. The best part of our meal was the sodas.

Sorry to leave this review, but feel its important to mention. Most reviews are good and we have eaten here before. This time did not go as well and response from workers was sad. My husband ordered the large chicken dinner, as always the chicken is very good, juicy and delicious. He also ordered a salad, was just okay as lettuce was not very fresh, and slightly wilted. I ordered the sampler plate, and was excited to try this item as the pictures posted looked great. What I received was not like anything pictured. The dish comes with chicken, pork, beef and one baby back rib. Swapped out the macaroni salad for chili and it was good. Chicken was tender and good and the bbq sauce is really good. What was disappointing was the level of juices(fat) from pork and beef that was on the plate, it was way to much and made everything soupy. The rib was very fatty, more fat than meat. Mixed in with the pork was a large hunk of fat which is pictured below, that should not have been put on the plate. I brought the plate to the staff and showed them the large piece of fat and all the liquid. She said thats how are meats are to keep them moist. I told her that I realize that, but when serving the meat, it should be shaken off so the plate is not soaked. I said what about this large hunk of fat, she didn't say anything. Most importantly, there was no acknowledgment for my concern's. I do not want anyone to be in trouble, I just feel that this is an easy fix and the staff can be told how to avoid these types of complaints. Maybe some people like a flood of meat juices on their plate, but who would want that large hunk of fat???? Most likely will not return here.

We had Sampler Plate and it was quite filling, and we loved the wide selection . Food came quick, shortly after we ordered. The French Fries were awesome.

The chicken is so scrumptious! Its a smoky, juicy flavor burst. So good! The staff is so hospitable and welcoming. Get some!!

Super tender chicken breast. Spicy bbq isn't spicy and is pretty sweet. Pathetic salad esp for $14, def skip this. Sweet potato fries looked SO good but I didn't try them. Reasonable prices for chicken. Would return.

If you are visiting Kaua'i, this place is a must go to. Honestly some of the best bbq I've ever had. Highly recommend!

Pros: the sample plate is awesome, texture is right on and flavor is very nice. Cons: seeing chickens walking around in the store makes me feel slight guilty and awkward

So bummed. Saw so many great reviews for celiacs and how it's been safe for cross contamination. Wrong, immediately knew I had been glutened. I thought I had asked all the right questions, the guy at the register seemed knowledgeable, but then my food came out so fast and I should have known better. If you have celiacs or gluten sensitive, I would not eat here

BBQ chicken was delicious. The 1/4 chicken ala carte was enough for me (too much even). Husband loved the beef plate. FYI despite menu photos to the contrary, they do not serve the hoagie anymore. We loved the Bible verse on the boxes.

I got the sampler plate cuz I couldn't decide. Chili was pretty mid, rice was mid too and dry. Wouldn't recommend. The meat tho! Ahhh so yummy. Plenty of seating and everyone was friendly. Good vibes there.

Chicken in a Barrel is a must when in Kauai. The staff seem to be in a good mood, usually jamming out to music while putting together your order. I've been here several times. It's a must every time we come to the island. The food is always consistent. Everything I've had here has always been good. The chicken is juicy and tender. The ribs fall off the bone. The chili is something else. What makes it even better is if you check in through Yelp, you get a free pulled pork sandwich. And it's not a little skimpy sandwich, it's a full order of pulled pork in a warm bun. Dip that into the amazing barbecue sauce, and call it a day.

Person in front of us got the last of the chicken an hour before closing. Not necessarily the restaurant's fault, so the rating isn't based on that. Ordered the beef plate and some Mac salad on the side. Came with some pulled bbq beef, chili, and brown rice. Beef was good, chili was alright, but I would never order brown rice over white rice to eat with any kind of meat. But that's just my preference. I had been craving some good Mac salad and was really excited just to be disappointed. It was just super bland though and tasted like boiled noodles.