Wa-hoo, one week until our Hawaii vacation and I’m getting really excited.
We’ll be in the Princeville area of Kauai for 5 nights and at the Grand Wailea for 5 nights. I’m so looking forward to awesome sushi and other seafood.
What are the ST recommendations for restaurants at either place?
“Chez Jacques” in Paia, Maui … has some very interesting seafood & sushi
On another note, don’t miss Waimea Canyon in Kauai
Grand Wailea is great. Definitely get the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a if you get a chance. Forget the restaurant name, but it is the main one outside with the huts. I think it is Humu. The Mac Nut Mahi Mahi is also delicious.
The spa is also great and I love the tropical enzyme bath.
Never dined at Princeville, but stayed further up in the small town. Not much to write there, but Lumahai beach is great, though no real parking and a bit of a hike to get too.
Waimea Canyon is well worth the trip but you need some luck with weather… Sometimes it is fogged in all day
In Kauai, in Poipu Beach (south side), the restaurant Plantation Gardens. One of my favorite restaurants in the world.
Princeville:
Paradise Grill - in the main shopping center of Princeville in the back. Very low key and family friendly. Swim suits are just fine. Not expensive at all. My favorite dish salad with local greens and a hunk of grilled fish on top. Yum
The restaurant in the Hanalei Bay Resort (name?). Go for a drink at sunset or a dinner. Nice bar with almost as good of a view. OMG on the view of Hanalei Bay and Bali Hai. A little pricey. Don’t miss the sunset!
Hanalei town: Kalypso’s. Open air place, very casual and moderately priced. Nice bar. There is small place next to the shave ice place (in the old taco truck) that has great fish tacos. Funny part is you have to walk next door to the liquor store to get a beer.
Kapaa: Scotty’s. It’s right on the water. BBQ bliss and family friendly.
Damn, you are making me want to go.
Where are you staying in Princeville?
Maui - if you want to drop some coin for a special dinner Mama’s Fish House.
Fun in Lahina: Aloha Mixed Plate
DEFINITELY GO TO MAMA’S FISH HOUSE!!! Make reservations for a little after sunset but get there early.
It is kind of a drive, but worth every minute of it. It is slightly expensive, but so is everything else on Maui . Prices are probably on par with what you would pay for dinner at the Grand Wailea or The Ritz. The food, the drinks and the atmosphere are 110% worth it.
Hukilau Lanai in Kapaa.
The Princeville Resort has an excellent seafood buffet Friday nights.
Bali Hai at the Hanalei Bay Resort is okay, but the view is excellent.
Hanalei Dolphin is decent.
Puka Dog in the Poipu Shopping Center. Hawaiian hot dogs. I think I saw it featured on Food Network. When we were there, they had a photo of Jared not eating a Subway sandwich.
In the Poipu shopping center in Kauai go to Puka Dogs - cheapest lunch you can get on the island and absolutely unforgetable!
Just go to Foodland (in Kihei) and get some poke from the fish counter. It’s damn good, you can sit on the beach and eat…and it’s cheap.
That was one of my favourite parts of Maui.
I was about to post that too. Nothing better than Poke at sunset. It beats any restaurant, hands down.
Coincidentally I’ll be golfing at the Grand Wailea about two weeks from today, with today’s rain in Seattle I’m lookin forward to it.
The luau at the Princeville Hotel is pricy but very good.
There is a great little hole in the wall type place in Kapaa called Mermaids. Excellent wasabi ahi burritos.
It’s kinda far from the Grand Wailea, but if you are headed to West Maui, hit The Gazebo for breakfast. It’s by Napili Bay and there is decent snorkeling there too.
On Kauai, head up to Waimea Canyon early in the morning and have breakfast at the little cafe up there inside the park. Great BLT’s. On your way back to Princeville, stop in Poipu for Puka Dogs and an almost guaranteed Hawaiian Monk Seal sighting. On Maui, Aloha Mixed Plate is great for cheap eats. Hula Grill in Kaanapali is another cheap place with a million dollar view. Get a table in the sand around sunset.
Best ‘luau’ type thing on maui…or in all the Hawaiian islands.
Best setting. Ocean front at sunset. Best food (they serve you in courses and will bring seconds/thirds). Best drinks. Top shelf stuff. All included in the price. A bit pricey, but way better than the cheesy long buffet style tables with awful mai tais.
Not familiar with the area, but somebody please tell the girl where to get a good plate lunch and a spam musubi.
Must haves!
Well, if we’re talking about cheap and excellent - in Kauai, is the roach coach Tropical Taco still around? They would park up towards Princeville and they had the biggest most delicious fish tacos. Also, at one time in Poipu there was a cheap restaurant where you picked your meat (hamburger, etc) and you cooked it yourself over a grill. Wish I could remember the name.
If you are talking about Hanalei, I think it was converted to a shave ice outlet.
It would be by Hanalei. Does it still say Tropical Taco on the side? That would be freaking hilarious. That thing was there 25 years ago, or more.