Kauai Restaurant Reviews by Local

Kauai Restaurant Reviews

Brennecke's

There's a reason why so many locals lunch at Brennecke's on the beach. Besides the extensive wine list and drink menu they serve what has to be the best fish and chips anywhere on Kauai. They also have pupus (appetizers) that can be a meal in itself.
My personal favorite is the chicken quesadilla with guacamole and sour cream. Big plate, lotsa food.

When the windows are open there is a nice breeze flowing around the tables and you can watch the waves at Poipu Beach Park. (You may also get a visit from a hungry little bird if you leave your seat for any reason so beware)

Keoki's Paradise

Like the rest of the TS restaurants, Keoki's is known as a lively spot for lunch, dinner, or just cocktails.

The service is always fast and friendly, the food is wonderful and the setting is sweet. When I have friends visit I always stop for lunch, the open air feeling embodies island style perfectly. My daughter swears by the teriyaki chicken sandwich while I still play the field with the menu. The Koloa ribs are tender and meaty, paired with coleslaw and rice, the perfect lunch. Fish and chips are also crisp and tasty, and can't be beat with a corona and a lime.

If Jenny Craig is not your thing, and it shouldn't be since you're on vacation, you must have the hula pie. I think it's true that it's what sailors swam to shore for. Forget swimming after you eat it though, you may be needing a nap. For those not familiar, hula pie is made with a buttery chocolate cookie crust, filled with macadamia nut coffee ice cream and topped with chocolate sauce, sprinkled with more nuts and spritzed with whipped cream. It will be served with more than one spoon but I've been known to not share more than once.

For dinner you will enter the more formal dining area with booths and tables surrounded by water features and beautiful foliage. The servers here are always attentive and you will feel relaxed and never rushed. Do not miss the bread basket, the carrot muffins are amazing as is the ciabatta and dark sweet bread. This is one of the few restaurants that serves courses so be sure to order the Caesar. Always a good choice, the chef specials. They will run out so make your reservations early if you can.

Beach House

A must for anyone on Kauai, and make those reservations soon. Sunset times book up 4 days in advance. You can have your picture taken with the ocean and the setting sun as your backdrop and take it with you to show off back home.

Beach House makes its own bread and it's a dense ciabatta that is a meal in itself. The servers there will make frequent stops so make sure you try at least 2 specialty drinks. Personal favorite was the ling moi margarita and the lemon drop. Lots of choices, from lamb to ahi but my favorite is the chicken. Call me boring but it comes with polenta cake, cannot be beat in my book. How many places serve polenta, a regular from childhood days..

Lappert's Ice Cream

Another of our faves is the unbeatable Lappert's Ice Cream. Ice cream is not just for breakfast anymore! The little and very cute shop in Koloa town serves the best cookies on island. It also will serve a great cup of coffee and the sell bags of Kauai coffee too.

If you want a healthy smoothie this is your place. The menu board is loaded with options of every fruit imaginable. The shortbread cookies are pretty amazing, as are the lemon bars. (Lemon bars are fruit, I don't care what anybody says!)

The big draw though is their luscious ice cream. Lappert's was born and raised on Kauai. They make their own waffle cones and the aroma will bring you into the store as you pass by. They dip some cones in chocolate, some have chocolate and sprinkles. I prefer the plain cones since I want to savor only the flavors that are in their "Kauai Pie"! My daughter swears by the cookie dough, her boyfriend prefers the sherbets.

There is something for everyone at this little gem in the heart of Koloa town.

TomKats

Not named for the strays that frequent the patio, this restaurant is actually named for its owners Tom and Kathy. This is a truly local bar/restaurant with dart tournaments, karaoke nights and some of the best food anywhere. I joined my sister and niece there for lunch. They made some healthy salad choices but both ended up picking at my fish and chips plate during the entire meal. The service was quick and friendly and the cats and chickens were delightful.

TomKats serves lunch and dinner every day and the bar in the back stays open till midnight. Since a lot of locals eat here they manage to keep their prices down unlike a lot of restaurants in the Poipu area. There are coupons that will get you a free pupu (appetizer) or dessert. Come see me at the Boss Frog's store and I'll treat you to one.

Koloa Fish Market

A veritable legend in Koloa town, you will be directed by anyone that lives here to Koloa Fish Market for plate lunch or fresh fish. If you're lucky enough to have a grill stop by and pick up whatever they're catching and prepare accordingly. If you want to try local food, like kaulua pork or a loco moco you will find them at lunch time. They close around 5 so get there early, daily specials do run out. Bring cash, step aside for the regulars who don't have to read the menu and take it to the beach the nearby Poipu Beach Park. There is no place to dine inside. The Koloa Fish Market has been compared to the "Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld. That being said, make it quick and don't ask for substitutions! You won't be sorry.

Atlantis Submarine Tours

One thing everyone should experience while in Hawaii is the rush of being 100 ft deep under the ocean's surface.  And unless you're a master scuba diver, you're not going to be able to experience the beauty of the ocean depths any other way than on a Atlantis Submarine Tour.

Atlantis has state-of-the-art submarines on Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island of Hawaii.  These multi-million dollar vessels are perfectly safe, comfortable, and has a large viewing window for every passenger onboard.

The last time I went on the Maui submarine tour, I saw Manta Rays, large schools of Tropical Fish, Yellow Tang, Plenty of beautiful Coral Beds, and also the infamous sunken boat, the Carthaginian.  It was especially fun watching scuba divers navigate around the boat while we watched in complete comfort in our seats.  It's pretty amazing that we could be doing the same thing, only we we're dry and able to come up quickly in our pressurized cabin.  Something the divers didn't have the luxury of doing.

Each island has very different things to be seen while on a submarine dive.  With Atlantis, many are able to see things they may have only been able to see on TV.  That's why we notice so many people going on these tours on each island that they visit.

These trip aren't too long, so you can still do plenty of other things in the same day.  We hope you have a chance to enjoy one!  ALOHA!

Maui Submarine • Oahu Submarine • Big Island Submarine

Special thanks to Natalie Brown Photography for the use of her Maui Photography.

Don't be afraid of a little rain

Just a note about our weather here on Kauai...we do have a winter and remember that Kauai is home to the wettest spot on earth. Really, the rain has very little to do with most activities for several reasons, some of which I'll mention.

1. If it's raining where you are there's a great chance it will A. Stop raining and B. Not be raining 10 minutes from where you are and C. not make much difference since we carry on as usual.

As far as the helicopters are concerned, remember that you are touring the wettest spot on earth so you can expect rain in the center of the island. Wind is much more of an issue when taking a helicopter tour but rest assured, flights will be cancelled or rescheduled if there is a safety issue.

With the boats up the Na Pali coast a little rain is not a big thing. It's more about the wind and the waves and again, if it's a safety concern you can rebook for another day.

Because of these two activities it's always a good idea to book before you arrive, that way you can reschedule without running out of vacation time.

We, at Boss Frog's, can help you with your bookings and this is why it's a great idea to call us. We know how far your hotel is from the airport and Port Allen (where the boats are) and we can book your tours, allowing for our local traffic and your drive time.

We know what to wear, take, leave back in room, and we are all glad to offer our services.

We also have great prices and there are 3 stores on the island that will issue your tickets and instructions.

We can be reached at our stores every day from 8am to 5pm. Our shop in Koloa is next to the scooter rental so come see us first and then cruise the south shore on the one man scooters.

Call us at 808 742 2025 Koloa (south shore) and 808 823 0220 (east side Kapa'a.) We look forward to helping you with your trip. Down on the beach in Poipu call 808 742 9111, you can rent and return our snorkel gear at any of our stores.

For you golfers and surfers we also rent boards (long and short) and clubs for a small charge.



Aloha,

kauaicharm@yahoo.com

Pier Jumping Hanalei Bay

One of the best beaches on Kauai is Hanalei, north shore, and one of the most fun activities is pier jumping. My daughter and friends managed to jump while a visitor snapped this shot. You can see the mountains in the background and after you've landed you can climb up the rickety ladder and jump off again. This is a summer picture, the water is clear and calm and this is a great bay for a kayak with our green sea turtles.

Kauai has lots to offer our visitors!

When planning a Hawaiian vacation please consider the Garden Island of Kauai.

A visual delight for photographers, paradise for hikers and surfers, Kauai will also refresh those that simply need a break from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives.

Kauai is home to the wettest spot on earth and the only way to see it is via helicopter or small plane. Both of these will offer you views of Mt. Waiale'ale's numerous waterfalls, a bird's eye view of the Waimea Canyon, and you'll soar over the beautiful Na Pali (Hawaiian for "the cliffs") coast. This is a must for first time visitors, returning visitors love a repeat tour too.

Kauai offers snorkel trips, on 60 foot catamarans which give you access to the entire west side of Kauai and the Na Pali coast. The morning snorkel trips offer lots of dolphins, turtles and schools of fish, accompanied by a luscious deli style lunch and choice of cocktails or soda. You will spend about an hour swimming with the fish so expect those cruises to last 5 1/2 hours.

There is also a dinner cruise and a whale watch available which are four and two hours respectively.

Boss Frog's employs knowledgeable local experts that will offer you choices of activities with information on all and provide the friendly service Kauai is known for.

Please visit this page often for updates on activities, weather, beach conditions, and restaurants, along with all the festival info and dates for your upcoming visit.

I've lived here for six years and I'm still constantly amazed by the beauty of this island, from the lush green mountains to the pristine sandy beaches. There is always a music festival, farmer's market, and local crafters to entertain you.

Mahalo for taking the time to visit my info, now you can make plans to visit Kauai. Please contact me at kauaicharm@yahoo.com. I have some great ideas for you!

Aloha Froggies!

Welcome to the Boss Frog's Blogspot. We have multiple blogs right now, but we'd like to use this one as our flagship for agents. Write whenever you can about your experiences, other's experiences, activities you'd like to try, or whatever you think our visitors would appreciate.

When referencing an activity, please link back to that activity page on one of our other websites, using the words that best describe the activity. (Ex. We went on a Maui whale watch and had a great time.) How do you do this? Highlight the word you want to link with your cursor, then go up to the little green ball with the white clip on it. Then add your web address.

Our websites are:
HawaiiDiscountActivities.com
Maui-Vacation.net
MauiHawaiiLuau.com
BossFrog.com
MauiSnorkeling.net
MolokiniMaui.com
HawaiianStyleActivites.com
Frogman-maui.com

Please let me know if you have any questions. Play around and see what you can do. Photos are always nice to add too.

Aloha,
Your Frog Webmaster