The Hanalei Dolphin Restaurant

We had family lunch at Dolphin today and it was very busy. We had to wait for almost an hour for our hamburgers for the kids and they were not happy. The manager was very responsive though and offered us a 20% discount to compensate the wait. The food was fresh and tasty, hamburgers had a huge patty and the kids liked them. Poke bowls are great as well, just wish they were a bit bigger. We sat outside and it was very nice to seat by the river. The place was pretty crowded, so that explains the wait, but overall I would recommend it as a decent place to eat at Hanalei.

We started with the stuffed mushroom which were delicious. Sushi was fresh and flavorful. The fresh fish was good as well, but the sides choices are seriously lacking. They could make that a 10/10 meal with better side options. White rice or steak fries are bland and boring options paired with a great piece of fish. Service was attentive and the atmosphere was warm and fun!

I had an amazing experience at The Hanalei Dolphin. The food was absolutely delicious, and the atmosphere was even better warm, welcoming, and full of character. I came here on my birthday and the staff were so friendly and attentive, making the whole visit feel special. I happened to visit on the last day of one of their longtime staff members, and you could really feel how much the team cared about her. That kind of connection and genuine appreciation shows what a wonderful place this is. Highly recommend!

The Hanalei Dolphin no longer lives up to its decades old name and reputation. What was once a dining experience serving fresh fish entrees with soup, salad, and a side, with fresh baked bread at the table, is now just another restaurant that has lost its identity. Part sushi bar, part everything else (chicken, fish, beef) and OUTRAGEOUSLY overpriced, meals come with basically nothing. When we asked for bread, we were charged $5 for what looked like the end pieces of a loaf of Wonder. The $32 chicken was overcooked and dry and came with a vegetable skewer consisting of precisely two pieces of zucchini, one piece each of squash, onion, pepper, and one cherry tomato. For 32 bucks I’d rather have picked off one of the many Kauai chickens and made a meal at home. Sadly, the Dolphin is not nearly what it used to be.

Honestly if you can get over the crazy prices, the food is amazing. We paid $80 for two 10 piece rolls and one side of fries. The rolls were delicious and the fish was so fresh. But I believe you can find fresh fish on the islands for a lot cheaper. Great food but small portions for a heavy price. Service was fast and great.

I was unsure after seeing the comments and ratings. I am so happy I went to this restaurant. Everyone is super friendly and it has a beautiful environment by the river. Great food, a little on the pricier side. I would skip the sushis and focus on the mains which are amazing.

The Hanalei Dolphin, located right off the Kuhio Highway as you enter the charming town of Hanalei, has been a north shore favorite since the early 1970s, beloved for its riverside seating, sushi lounge, and reputation for fresh seafood. While its nostalgic setting might suggest a restaurant stuck in time, we were pleasantly surprised by the clean, fresh atmosphere and attentive service. We began with *The Origami* cocktail, an elegant mix of Nikka Pure Malt Taketsuru Whisky, Lillet Blanc, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, and Averna Amaro—well-balanced and perfectly executed. For an indulgent start, we shared a basket of their double-coated, crispy fries (yes, fries and seafood can be friends). Our entrées included the chef’s choice sashimi-grade fish over local greens with sesame, ponzu, pickled ginger, and wasabi, alongside a poke bowl layered over sushi rice with unagi sauce and wasabi aioli—both dishes were as fresh as the Hanalei breeze. If you’re on Kauai’s north shore and craving top-quality seafood in a relaxed riverside setting, The Dolphin is a must-visit.

We came to The Dolphin in Hanalei on our honeymoon after my wife recommended it from a past trip, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. On our first night we had the pleasure of being served by Ānuʻu (forgive me if I’m spelling that wrong) and Storm, and it was nothing short of incredible. The drinks were spot on, and the sushi was some of the best I’ve ever had anywhere. We let them choose a few rolls and dishes for us and every single thing they brought out was perfect. They were attentive, welcoming, and genuinely fun to talk to, all while hustling nonstop to keep the whole restaurant taken care of. After that first night we tried several of the other “top” recommended restaurants around the island, including the 1 Hotel and Welina Terrace on the north side and a handful of spots on the south side as well. We walked away underwhelmed every time, both by the food and the service. That made it clear there was no comparison. By our third night we knew there was only one place worth going back to, and that was The Dolphin. Once again Ānuʻu and Storm made it special. At that point we had tried nearly every roll on the menu and not one of them disappointed. The crudo was phenomenal, the nigiri melted in your mouth, and everything was packed with flavor. On our last night in Kaua‘i we decided the only way to end the trip was to come back to The Dolphin one more time. It turned out to be even more memorable than the first two visits. The place was packed with locals celebrating Megan, who I believe was the manager, on her final night after 18 years. The atmosphere was full of love and energy, and once again Ānuʻu and Storm recognized us right away and treated us like family. By then we had probably tried three quarters of the menu, and not a single bite fell short. I’ve eaten at some of the most well-known sushi spots across the country, including Uchi and Nobu, and The Dolphin holds its own without question. The servers hustle harder than anywhere I’ve ever seen, the sushi chefs never stop moving, and the quality is consistently top tier. Any complaints about “slow service” are simply from people who don’t understand the amount of care and effort it takes to serve this level of food in such a busy and high-demand place. The Dolphin is five stars in every sense. It was by far the best restaurant we ate at on the entire island, north or south, and it became the staple of our trip. Ānuʻu and Storm in particular made our honeymoon unforgettable. This is the kind of restaurant you remember long after you’ve left. If you’re in Hanalei, don’t waste your time or money anywhere else. The Dolphin is where you want to be.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

The food was great. The service was TERRIBLE! Our party had 4 regular meals and 2 sushi orders. The sushi orders came out about 25-30 minutes after the other orders had been eaten AND cleared. No offerings to accommodate the crappy service but they were great to ask if we wanted a dessert (and pay for it). We were then charged a 20% gratuity for our party of 6 even though we were served as a party of 4 and 2. Then they charged 3% for credit card...who doesn't charge a large meal????

Restaurant is really good and should get a five star. But the fish store sucks in personality. The guys that work there are "over it". Just go home already don't punish your patrons with your sour attitude.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Sat in for a late lunch this time. Coconut porter for me and a Prosecco for my wife. I had the Ahi sandwich and my wife had the dolphin salad with shutome. Everything was wonderful. The service was quicker paced than the normal island shuffle. The highlight of my lunch was meeting a legend in music (Eagles).

I'll start out by saying the service was very lovely. I was amazed and shocked how lousy the food was. I shared a meal with my daughter and the bill was over $100 except I couldn't stand any of the food and neither could see the fish was dry And the first hors d'oeuvres that we ordered which was a artichoke was hard as a rock, and we sent it back. Then she brought us artichoke hearts, except it was little heart, and a lot of those little leaves are around the heart. They were very oily. Do yourself a favor save your money and go somewhere else.

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.

Excellent food and service, but definitely expensive even for Kauai. We had a reservation and the tables were full soon after opening for dinner.

Amazing selection of delicious fresh fish. Lots of locally-made condiments and treats for purchase. Super friendly staff. Food to order or raw to take with. Clean and cool. Highly recommend!!

There's a reason why this place had a line right when they opened at 5. Our hotel recommended we eat here and they did not disappoint. Everything was so good and all the workers are so nice. I HIGHLY recommend this place!!

There are tons of local sushi places that serves WAY BETTER sushi. We usually always go for nigiri or sashimi, but since we've been feasting on that for the past couple days we got the Flying Hawaiian roll and The Nepali roll. What a disaster. These rolls were each over $30 and the quality was not good. On top of that all of their drinks are $20. I don't usually complain about drink prices when the food is top tier. But this place was LOW tier sushi charging top tier prices. Please try and find a local spot. I feel like we wasted a whole dinner experience on our vacation.

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

We came to this restaurant once and the. Fish market later in our trip. I can say both experiences were 10/10. The fresh fish was just amazing. The price of this sushi roll was jaw dropping at $30+ but all the island pricing is pretty high. That being said I would go again and order the same items I was never a poke person until this trip to Kauai and now I know I do love it, just from the right places.

Was good but didn't live up to the hype from the recommendations, maybe an off day? Out of the good stuff?

We went here based on the recommendation by some local folks. Really looking for Sushi but ended up trying different things. The service was good, dependent on who you get. The place was okay, nothing great in my opinion. Drinks were also okay, pricing was quite high. Two cocktails cost me $45. They charge tax plus credit card fee's. The tempura was nice and hot, the rainbow bowl was okay. Swordfish was okay, nothing to rave about. Again, for the ambience and service the price felt quite high.

Several fresh fish options but they are all heavily seasoned salted and sauced so the fish is covered up; so if you like all that you would enjoy it; menu designed for tourists. Pleasant outdoor seating.; service was good.

Meh. The service was fine. The Sushi chef was attentive but our waiter was slow and took a long time to bring anything - even water. Food was average and way overpriced. I won't go back.

Very much 90s japanese restaurant with no competition in this space. The location is fantastic but the wait and food really is very unimpressionable. Don't waste your time to get there early (we got there at 5:45 and waited a *tiny bit*), there are SO many other restaurants to visit with actual good food that comes out piping hot and for the price you really can do better. The fish market is also a pass for us. There are PLENTY of other poke places around in the same town + a short drive away that are fresh, chunky, and delicious in bigger, fresher portions.

Great restaurant and a classic spot in Hanalei. I also did some shopping at the art gallery next door. Service was friendly and everyone enjoyed their meals. Lots of variety on the menu and we were lucky to sit outside on a beautiful evening.

Wanted to love this place. But I wouldn't go back. The sushi was way over priced ($36/roll) and was nothing special. The ahi tuna was dry and lacked flavor. And takes forever to get your food......

We've dined in the restaurant and also purchased from the fresh seafood side. The restaurant was soooo busy and the kitchen definitely had trouble keeping up with it all. The sushi was very good but was served at least 30 minutes before the hot entrees were ready. Awkward watching your dining companions enjoy their food. When served, my mahi was over cooked. My husband's fish was okay. Not sure they were worth the wait. The servers were pleasant and the side dining room is very cramped without a view. However, the seafood market is wonderful. Fresh fish to order and the prepared ahi was really delicious. I'd recommend cooking yourself and save $$.

Got seated immediately on a busy/understaffed night. The crew was harried, but making it happen. The good: The fish is delicious!! The sushi rolls are huge. Less impressed: the sides. Hm. Focus on the fish... A little aggressive on the table clearing. Overall an expensive casual meal, but the fish...

Good Slow down and don't pass The Dolphin! Best dish was a baked Parmesan cheese, with delicious mushrooms and breadcrumbs. Magical restaurant on the river. It's arguably one of the best looking river garden views of any American restaurants. Bad Confused front of house started an imaginary cue and staff opened payday checks in front of a hangry crowd. Looked like they had a staff huddle that was unsuccessful. I ordered some sushi rolls they tasted like old super market bento rolls from the fridge.

wildly overpriced- $6 for a well soda water.. $36 is the average price of their mediocre sushi rolls.. atmosphere was fun, service was beyond slow.. would i go back? maybe, but probably not.

Dolphin was always a favorite of ours for fresh fish and great service. Normally we have dinner here but this last time we had lunch with friends that joined us there. The service was not great, and they were not busy. Food was marginal and missed the mark. None of us finished our food and didn't take it home. I hope things improve and they make our next experience better. The lunch menu was limited and we order 6 different dishes, none were up to par.

Review for the fish market only. Small and focused. Fresh fish on display. On the walls are sauces, spices, chocolate bars, etc. I got 2 quarts of the seafood chowder for take home. Best on the island. Higher prices than Foodland in Princeville. Justify able.

Fabulous fresh fish, rapid and friendly service. The best meal we had on the island by a distance.

Great drinks & awesome sushi! Would definitely recommend, family friendly and casual.

Favorite restaurant in Hawaii. Every time we are in KAUAI, we have to go to the dolphin at least two times. Hanalei is my favorite spot on earth so I'm a little biased!

I can't say enough about how good this place is. The rainbow bowl is AMAZING. we came back again before leaving the island. The chowder is great too, hubby loved it! They give you oyster crackers but there is no room, the chowder is so full! Yum! Also they have a to go spot in the back. We grabbed some for the next day.

Great poke! I love it; they have like 3 combinations the day I went but all combinations looked amazing, good color, texture and smell, I got the rainbow one and it was extremely good, very fresh and delicious. The bowl also comes with a drink which is a great deal, also the place is really small (the market on the back) so it is always full.

Ui at the bar was so lovely & gave us so much info on the town! We had dinner & everything was really great!! Fresh! Great views from Bar and lanai! Tx Ui!

Wow this place was amazing. 5 days on Kauai and this was by far our favorite meal. Our server Amber was the best and every recommendation was on point. She even got us the best seat in the house sitting outside facing the river it was beautiful. The Chili Hamachi was amazing, the nigiri was super fresh, and the omakase roll they had as a special was the best roll I've ever had! Solid cocktails too the spicy margarita was on point. I hope we can come back someday! Worth noting the fish market and restaurant are separate with different hours

Great service! They accommodated us right away and were super friendly! The food itself is delicious and fresh (naturally). Highly recommend stopping by if you're on the island. The shade when it's warm/hot outside is very effective so it's never really uncomfortable here.