The Hanalei Gourmet

I think this is my first negative review. Overall, the place is not bad, but the way I was treated by a young waiter with a mustache was simply ridiculous. I politely asked if it was possible to add pickles to my burger, and he said “of course, no problem.” The burger arrived without pickles. When I reminded him, he brought me a whole cucumber and told me to cut it myself with a regular table knife. All of this was said in a tone as if I had somehow offended him or asked for something completely unreasonable. I’m not saying you should avoid this place, just don’t be surprised if you’re treated this way. It might be a good idea for the management to either let this guy go or at least have a conversation with him :)

Hands down - best salad (Waldorf) and fish (Po Boy or Fish Tacos) in Hanalei! Generous portions and attentive, friendly service - truly the best meal we have had! Great job!

We wanted to try a local joint for loco moco. I’m sad to say this wasn’t it. The patty was pretty bland, and so was the sauce. If you come here, get something else. The limeade was good, though.

We had two drinks, the cream of artichoke soup, and a fish taco. We initially ordered a half-pound shrimp boil with the rest, but 20 minutes after taking our order, they came back and told us they had run out of shrimp. They asked if we wanted to order something else, so we decided to get a burger instead. After waiting at least another 20 minutes, we gave up, canceled the burger, and asked for the check. And the fish taco… it was $16 and very small for its price (see the pictures attached). I’ve had fish tacos at a neighboring restaurant (Hanalei Colony Resort) where they charge around $19 for a portion twice the size and much tastier. I don’t know how to run a restaurant business, but even in NYC, you wouldn’t pay $16 for a single taco and I've had many tacos. On top of that, the taco was just *not bad* at best, but definitely not worth the price. To be fair, the soup was ok, and the server was nice, so I’m giving 2 stars.

Cute historical place. Service was great! My daughter & I shared the Calamari which was awesome. For entree's she ordered a Po' boy which she that would be shrimp, instead it was beer battered catch of the day. She didn't particularly care for. The fries were yummy. I ordered the catch of the day, it was almost like the texture of chicken "beer battered" as well. Overall, it was a nice restaurant. I just wish we ordered something else for $90

Great place to stop for dinner, we got the fish tacos, burger, hotdog, Reuben, vegetarian burger. Our waiter was great, the food came out pretty fast for a party of 14. The only thing I didn’t like was the limeade, which had no sugar in it.

Love Hanalei Gourmet visit every time we come to the island. Best fish & chips, great burgers & salads. I don't think there's ever been anything we did not like. For dessert get the Kauai Pie, it's an ice cream delight. It's has macadamia nuts & coconut in it. But it's delicious & should be shared so you don't over stuff yourself. Aloha Enjoy!

This is a little hidden gem in Hanalei. We had the best food here on a mid afternoon stop. The Pin̈a colada rum float with local Hanalei rum was fantastic. The fish sandwich was a huge hit with my wife and I had fish and chips which was some of the best I've ever had. The fresh catch for today was marlin. Make the stop at Hanalei Gourmet, you won't be disappointed! And do not pass on the Kauai pie!!

Awesome neighborhood bar with some of the BEST fried fish and chips!! Although this is a small place, and table space is limited, the food is always fresh and on point! One of the best, classically made and underrated Mai tais in Hanalei! Just when you start sipping the second Mai Tai, you realize whoa that first one was STRONG! IYKYK. Had the fish and chips for the second time, just to make sure it was that good...and it is!! Piping hot...juicy, fresh fish. Be careful not to eat too fast or you will burn the crap out of your tongue and i mean this in a good way Also, i don't have a pic but their roasted garlic ceasar salad is to die for!! Huge chunks of roasted garlic!! Service is always very attentive, even if at times slow... you are on island time now! Be sure to grab an early seat on Thursdays for the live music. Can't wait to go back soon!!

Not the same anymore, business under new ownership. Kitchen badly needs training: look at the fish tacos in the photo, they deep fried a flour tortilla and then sliced it in half to make two tacos. Fish in the fish taco was so tough and stringy (ie, cheap frozen fish), wife compared it to chicken. Considering the price of the fish taco went from ~$9 in 2022 to ~$16 in 2024, inexcusable. Confusing, as the shrimp ceviche was outstanding, drinks still worthy.

Cool casual place with good service. We had a fish and chips and a fish sandwich. I thought they were priced high but the food was fine. I'd opt to try some other places next time.

Great service by the hustling and hard working gentleman who served and seated us. The spot has a casual ambiance and local charm. The meals were all very delicious and the fries were perfectly cooked, crispy, and well seasoned. Only one star less than 5 since it is a little pricey for the value -- $16 for one taco is steep, and the $10 for the added chicken on the salad felt high too. But overall a really pleasant experience. Bathrooms were nice and clean too.

It's 2024 and we're back. They still have the best ahi sandwich around. My husband and I wanted a good Mai tai and so far we were very disappointed with the choices in Hanalei. A shop owner recommended Hanalei Gourmet for the best Mai tai. She was right and the cheapest at $14. Highly recommend. Enjoy outside in the patio or inside.

We came here because the online menu showed Shrimp Scampi. Nope. New owners. Took it off the menu. Our waitress was super nice and we liked the outdoor seating. Hubby got the fish and chips which he liked, but I thought was meh. I ordered the full size Roasted Garlic Caesar salad which was big enough to share and really did have roasted garlic cloves in the salad. That was good.

Yum and yum! These were the words that came out of my mouth as I took my first bite of beer battered fish! Fresh fish and cooked perfectly. BIG thick pieces and crunchy batter. They nailed it!! Burgers were cooked to order - medium rare! Good size and no one left feeling hungry here. Service was friendly and with a smile. Open and airy with sports on the oversized TVs. Chill and laid back Kauai vibes here. Would definitely come back and recommend to all my friends who visit and live here in Kauai.

Two words. Passion margaritas! My kind waitress recommended them and I'm so glad she did because they were so delicious! I also go the fish taco and it was massive and so delicious! Definitely recommend checking out this place.

We heard music from outside and made our way in. What a nice surprise to see a local band playing. The waitress started to dance hula to Hanalei Moon. That was a definite treat. We had a few beers that night, but came back for dinner on another night. We had the 1/4 New Orleans shrimp (10 shrimp), Waldorf salad, Rueben with Cole slaw. Solid meal with good service. Friendly open ambiance with a local vibe - we will definitely come back again.

I went for the pie and it was legit. Service was friendly considering they took my order even though they had just closed. Ambiance is cool too.

Grabbed an outdoor table for a lite lunch with the hubby. We shared the fish and chips - fish was marlin and very good! I wasn't a fan of the tartar sauce though - think there's horseradish in it which was funky for me. Service was super good and fast. All in all a solid lunch spot!

The Hanalei Gourmet is a casual spot with some truly delicious food. The views of the mountains and the central access to Hanalei makes it a great place to have a family dinner. Plenty of parking is right next to the restaurant. My family loved all of their food and the portions left us all full! I would def get the double meat on the Reuben sandwhich - it was totally balanced and the pastrami was to die for. Don't delay, treat your family to Hanalei Gourmet!

Great food, service and drinks. It's hasn't changed in 30 Years. It's like an old schoolroom with a beautiful backdrop through the windows. Friendly staff!

A cozy place with great chicken burgers and fish and chips. The waitress was very friendly and brought us an extra cocktail for free. Would recommend for having lunch in Hanalei!!

What a good local hole in the wall eatery! We were actually trying to get into Tahiti Nui, but they were inexplicably closed. Then we walked over to Kalypso and they were had a long wait. We wandered into the Hanalei gourmet where we were seated within a few minutes by a delightful hostess. It's definitely not fancy. Our waitress was sweet, prompt and very helpful. I had the fresh fish sandwich. It was truly fresh and it was delicious. I had the fresh fish sandwich. It was truly fresh and it was delicious. Today, it was heavy. The fish on it today was hebi. The sandwich was moist and delicious. I substituted a salad for fries, which came with a mango vinaigrette. It was a good salad as well. My husband had loco moco. One of the best he's had. We would've liked to try some bar drinks but we were both too tired after spending a day in the sun. Big thumbs up!

We had a nice spot on the porch. Good service. I was excited to try the artichoke appetizer, but was a little disappointed. No part of our meal was amazing, but good enough.

Interesting name. Gourmet does not come to mind, no offense to them. One of the servers is amazing, and very sweet. The food is okay, we were not blown away. I am sure there are better items on the menu, it was just what we ordered. It is a small casual spot with a neighborhood vibe. Nice place to duck out of the rain and grab a beer. We were able to watch some of the sweet 16 on the TVs they have on. The highlight of this place for us was our server. She was a GEM, and was hustling.

This is a good spot for casual eats that are freshly prepared. Right on the main street in Hanalei you can choose to dine inside or out on the busy patio and watch passerby's. If you are looking for a sit down dining venue and not the beach or at a food truck where you have to take your meal to go, this is a good option. We had the grilled fish burger which was Mahi Mahi and it was cooked perfectly, still moist, hot and flakey topped with just enough sauce that complimented the burger and not overwhelm the flavour of the fish. Served on soft squishy burger buns with shredded lettuce and tomato slice with fries on the side. Get this! I had the Rueben sandwich served with fries. Unfortunately the heat of the sandwich from being grilled made the bread soggy and greasy. The smoked meat was unevenly distributed which left only sauerkraut on the bottom half and the rest of the meat on the top half of the sandwich it still tasted good nonetheless but soggy bread was t so great. For dessert we had the Kauai mud pie which is coffee and chocolate flavoured ice cream pie and it was delish! We'll visit here again for a quick casual bite just because it'll be open when all the food trucks close at 2 or 3 pm. It's predictable fare but tasty and you can sit down, reasonably priced too and friendly service!

Wow! Really loved the feel of this little bar/restaurant located at the old Hanalei School Building - The view behind the bar is so pretty through the old paned windows. The history is all around you. Happy hour is great with $4 off cocktails and the artichoke dip is served warm with melty cheese and chunks of artichoke. For dipping options, they provide a mini loaf of warm french bread and tortilla chips. The bartender was amazing and knows her way around a Mai Tai! Generous pours of both light and dark rum. We liked it so well, we hope to stay in Hanalei next time we visit Kauai (if we can afford the rent!) :) Oh! One last thing...one of the gals who waited on us paints great canvases with the old school, the church and several other sights in Hanalei. They are displayed all over the restaurant. Fun to look at each of them while you're there and more fun to buy one and take it home with you!

Food was okay. Had the blackened fish sandwich. It's sort of a tourist trap. Prices were pretty high. Service was good though and it was right in the downtown area so it was easy to get to.

The food was so super fresh and everyone around me was making noises like YUM, and MMM and YES....Picture "When Harry Met Sally", aloha style I ordered a mixed green salad with house-made mango vinaigrette dressing and chargrilled fish of the day. I paired it with a Fire Rock Ale from Kona Brewing Company. The staff at this restaurant are all working so hard! They're very friendly, knowledgeable, and supportive of each other, which I really like to observe. The last few years have been hard enough on us all... Get back out there and support local restaurants like this!

Worst service of Kauai. Excellent food. Our server Jessica, was an unhappy, miserable waiter. She looked/talked to me with disdain and when I asked if they have a cocktail menu, she looked at me with the most annoying face and told me "we can make anything". With that response I decided to order just water. When the food arrived, I immediately asked for salt and pepper, she apparently forgot and the next time she came was to give us the check. The food was really good but honestly with that service I prefer going to another restaurant .. unfortunately.

Really can't go wrong with this place. The food was excellent and the ambience is hard to beat. Super nice staff and they pour great drinks. We will definitely make this a part of our trip next time we are in the area!

The vibe, the local art on the walls, full bar, right in center of Hanalei town, and the food is always super fresh and delicious. Generous portions. We've been going to HG for many years. Perfect lunch spot before or after shopping in town, Ke'e Beach.

I'm a huge supporter of small businesses, so please do not take my review of their food as everyone's experience. I found the food I ordered was a bit lackluster in flavor in my opinion I ordered a Belgian waffle and breakfast burrito and it tasted bland! The waffles were hard and the burrito tasted like nothing. It looked great, but the taste wasn't up to par. The service was good, took my order and we got our food in steady time. Overall: If the food looks appealing to you, then please try!

Beer batter fish and chips were scrumptious. Heat house made Tartar just the right amount of dill. Service was great and it was the epitome of Hawaiian time

Fish tacos were delicious a la carte means 1 taco fyi. Pricey but delicious. Asked for extra sauce, yum!

I had the fish and chips. It was good not great. The spinach and artichoke dip needs more salt or seasoning. My husband had the fish tacos (marlin). He liked them a lot but wouldn't make a trip for them. It's more like a burrito than a taco. Service was so so.

The mai tai was too sweet. The artichoke toast was terrible with each slice of 4 slices topped with an unripened tomato slice. I'd choose this as a last resort.

Food was delicious. Nice breezy setting in downtown Hanalei. Service was great and perfect spot for a casual lunch with our kids. Waiter accidentally brought out the stuffed pepper soup instead of my daughter's chicken noodle soup. He apologized and said the first soup was on the house. My husband and I ate it and it was delicious! Had awesome pie for dessert- made with coffee ice cream, macadamia nuts and coconut, I liked it even more than regular hula pie. For a nice casual lunch this place was great.

After a long day of touring We ordered: - FISH TACO - tasty and, beer battered was nice - EGGPLANT SANDWICH - good - LILIKOI CREAM PIE A LA - was good, but I just don't think I am so much of a fan of the lilikoi flavor it's very subtle - HANALEI IPA Everything tasted overall good, but not per se amazing. Everything was closing soon so we had few options in town. Service was quick and friendly Hawaiian vibes. Ambiance is casual.

THE FISH TACOS. I forget if I've left a review here in the past or not haha but if I'm repeating myself then let it be! I'm telling you - these fish tacos are so freaking goooooood!!!! I'm from souther California and we have a lot of good fish tacos around here too but I am still hard pressed to find one as good as this one!!!! Oh man. Blows me away every time. I love this little place - it's nothing fancy, super casual and great Kauai feel I love so much. I've been here so many times over the past 20 years and I will absolutely keep coming back every time I'm on island! I know recently they've had to cut back on days they're open and hours because they're down to one chef so make sure you see when they're open and STOP BY! Get some extra sauce on the side too for your tacos because that sauce is magical and you can't have enough! Love this place so much and I'm confident you will too!!!

The grilled vegetable salad with goat cheese wonderful and very filling. The fish taco is one but that was a perfect size. The bar is a good place to sit and visit! It is a go to spot if you want a good meal!! The servers were attentive even though it was busy. The ambiance is a good beach bar feel. A little patio and nice bar surrounded by little tables. Not a big place but worth waiting for a seat.

This was my first time at this place and, overall, I thought it was fine. This place is located in the central/main area of Hanalei and it's easy to find. The restaurant itself is very casual and laidback. They have a good menu of various items for lunch, ranging from salads, to sandwiches, to lunch plates. I ordered the Loco Moco, a classic Hawaiian dish, and it was pretty good - the beef and eggs were nice, although the gravy that smothered the plate was just okay. We also shared a salad and that was fine. The service could definitely be improved - we arrived in the late afternoon with less than half the restaurant full; while I didn't necessarily expect immediate service, we did have to wait about 25 minutes before our order was taken. It also took a long time before the food arrived. Once it did arrive, there were no utensils and that required an additional wait of five minutes. If I were to return, I'd try a different dish on their menu. I also hope they improve their customer service so that visitors can experience something pleasant during their holiday.

We have been here many times and never disappointed This time , fish n chips and a Rueben with fries and a pickle. Xlnt fries. Very good Rueben and the fish n chips was marlin Was delish. Ice cold ipa beers all around. Bit of a wait but it was worth it. Get your name in early. This whole building is a converted elementary school from the fifty's. Great vibes.

Hanalei Gourmet One of our favorite casual lunch restaurants in Kauai is on the North Shore in Hanalei. Hanalei is a very quaint little town, nearby to one of the best beaches on the island. We came a bit early to lunch so we had no problem getting seated. We ordered a Waioli Salad and a fish sandwich special. Both were well prepared. Although the restaurant was short staffed due to Covid, our service from Niki throughout our lunch was super friendly and attentive. In addition, Highly recommended.

Casual dining with amazing food and beer that rival fine dining restaurants on the Island. The ingredients are fresh and simply prepared. I love fish and somehow always avoided swordfish thinking that it's really fishy and dense but since I've never had anything bad here, I decided to try it and was blown away! It was delicious - not fishy and it's more dense than my go-to white, flakey fish but was so good! The hamburger was juicy and flavorful and the Kalua pork quesadilla didn't sound like it would work but it all came together so well. The service was friendly and attentive enough for a bar-type restaurant. This is our third trip to Kauai and this is a must have for us.

The rating is more like. 3.5. Cute restaurant. Small inside and some little tables outside. 45 minute wait at noon. There is not much else open at that time, so this placed was packed! Staff: very nice Time to get food out: roughly 10 minutes Drinks: Bottled beer Meal 1: Cajun po boy. If you're from the south, it is a hard NO for me. Two pieces of fried fish on a baguette. Not seasoned, beer battered fried fish, served kind of open faced with remoulade sauce on the side. Cole slaw was on the plate with 2 slices of tomato. Meal 2: Club sandwich. The bread was not toasted so it makes the layers cold instead of warmed. Hubs ate 1/2 sandwich. Left the rest. We both agreed, the French fries were on point!! The service was great. The place is cute and quaint. Location easy to find. Prices were Hawaiian kine. Not too shabby for a beautiful day on the garden isle!

Cute little restaurant. We arrived and waited about 20mins to be seated at the bar. Service was quick and we chatted with the bartender about the history of thr place and the family. I had the beer battered fresh fish & chips, which were delicious and perfectly battered.

My husband and I stopped in for a quick bite to eat after going to the beach. The drinks and the food were great, the service was quick and they didn't mind the sand on our feet. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating with beautiful art all over the walls. I would highly recommend getting chips with your meal as they were delicious!

Overall, a very disappointing, meal and service. We chose this place over several others in the area. We were seated promptly, probably the best part of our experience. My wife ordered the artichoke dip, and an iced tea. I ordered the fish and chips and water. My meal cost $24 dollars. When my fish and chips arrived it looked like coleslaw and chips with a few fish nuggets, hardly worth the asking price. I tried the slaw and it was very bitter. The fish was nothing to Bragg about. The dip was very horseradish forward. The chips were acceptable. I only ate one and my wife tried another one. When the waitress asked how it was, I told her it was lacking and my issues. She said she would go tell the kitchen. My wife's dip was ok, but needed more flavor and seasoning. After a period of time, the waitress came back with a couple more small fish nuggets. The waitress said that they made me a couple more if I cared. She also said that she tried the slaw and that it was fine, but people have different tastes. I tried the fresh fish, and it was still flavorless. The waitress brought back the check, and said she gave me a little discount. The discount was the local rate(10% off). That was the last we saw of our waitress. My bill was about $44 with my discount. I left $50 on the table with the receipt. I am definitely sorry we chose this place, and it gets my worst eating experience for my 10 day Kauai trip.

My fiancé wanted to eat here for the Reuben sandwich so that's what we did. They have a wonderful menu with lots of fresh fish options, but being vegan the only choice I had was an appetizer dish of fried artichokes. I don't do very well with fried foods, but we ordered it and I munched on it a bit. It was ok, really not much flavor and I felt like the artichoke was canned. The only thing giving the flavor was the dressing. My fiancé loved the Rueben and the fries which I'm happy about. But we both weren't fans of our server. She really wasn't very friendly, she did not seem happy at all. The ambiance was nice out on the patio, the inside was decorated nice. Overall I personally wouldn't come back but if my fiancé wanted the sandwich again we would just order it to go.

Great location in a plaza, lots of parking but the line is long. Loco moco is salty. Fish market

Food was alright, service was alright, they were sweet, but the restaurant was filthy, everything is covered in hair, if you are ocd you would die, I was close, but my husband hates when I choose a restaurant, sit, and then leave and I'm trying to 'hang loose'. But I would never go back. Kauai kind of feels dirty everywhere, but this place takes it up a notch. I hope they read this and realize they can do much better. We shared the ceviche for an appetizer, the chips were stale and there were maybe 2 shrimp chopped up in a punch of pico de gallo, we had the dill soup/ just okay, and the club/nothing to write home about.

4.5 stars ! Was a little bummed when we came the other day and they were closed when it was supposed to be open. They said someone called in sick. Ok ! Can't predict that :) Came back today. Wasn't thrilled with the menu at first .. Ended up just having a beer and a chicken soup. The soup was amazing . Server at the bar was pretty cool. I'm going to come back and taste the other stuff now knowing how good the soup was. I have a feeling I missed out on some good stuff . Further review coming !

FAST Review Food: We ordered a Lilikoi Margarita, New Orleans Po Boy and a burger. The Po Boy was outstanding, the fish was super fresh. Atmosphere: really cute restaurant, with tables around a full bar. Service: was good. Tip: enjoy a great meal while doing some souvenir shopping in Hanalei.

While my husband got the fresh fish sandwich (blue marlin, for the evening we visited), I had to get fish and chips since it was the first time I actually saw it on the menu during our visit in Kauai and I've never had it with blue marlin. I enjoyed it! Crispy, as it's fried well and not at all soggy. The fish was tender, mild, white and flaky, and most of all delicious! It was like a more meaty cod to me. The fries were also crispy and robust, being able to withstand me dousing it with malt vinegar (because that's how I like it!). We ended the meal with a their homemade fruit pie, mango, which tasted like mango after getting the crust, sugar and cinnamon out of the way. My husband made a really good point about mango - the piney-ness is lost after it's cooked. Still, I thought it was a delightful novelty.

Popped in here for lunch break after spending the whole morning at the beach. I will say the food was not the caliber of food I have gotten everywhere else on the island. Good in a pinch, but not my first choice to eat. Shrimp Ceviche - Good! Fish Tacos - Interesting. Double fried, fish and the shell are both fried... would order again.. surprisingly light! Broccoli Soup - Bad (super watered down and bland) Shrimp Boil - Meh (shrimp itself was good, but not sure why they douse with far too much seasoning salt on the outside of the shrimp shells.. boil in garlic butter and garnish with cilantro.. serve with a side of more garlic butter... ) keep it simple ya'll! The location is nice and recommend dining out on the front patio for airflow, people watching, and elbow room.

A good spot to grab a dinner after the sunset in hanalei. We got the burger, fish taco and turkey club. The burger was decent nothing spectacular. The fish taco was very good though very expensive for the size. My wife's turkey club was a bit above average. The fries were spectacular. Had to wait 35 mins for our food which was quite a while. I'd come back for a no frills relaxing dinner after sunset which is hard to come by on the island.