Aina Kauai Restaurant

4.8

397 Reviews

$50 and over

Japanese Speciality

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 1 time today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Innovative
Romantic

Located in the heart of Kapa‘a town, ‘Āina Kaua‘i offers creative and delicious Japanese cuisine that highlights the flavors and bounty of Kaua’i. The menu features produce harvested at peak freshness from local farms, highlighting each element through refined Japanese cooking techniques. The open kitchen allows guests to observe the preparation of courses, while the choice “Chef’s Counter” features four exclusive seats where guests can interact with the chef throughout their meal. Guests can select libations from a drink menu which includes premium sake, Japanese beer, and wine. Hale ‘Aina Award Winner "Best Kaua‘i Restaurant" 2023 and 2024.

Reservations required. Dietary restrictions must be confirmed by email (eat@ainakauai.com) before making a reservation. No refunds, changes, or cancellations.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Japanese Speciality, Creative Japanese, Farm-to-table
Hours of operation
Dinner Wed–Sat 6:00 pm–7:00 pm
Phone number
(808) 698-6449
Website
http://www.ainakauai.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Catering
Please contact us at eat@ainakauai.com for catering.
Private party facilities
Please contact us at eat@ainakauai.com to reserve for a private event.

Location
4-985 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa, HI 96746-1551
Neighborhood
Kapaa
Parking details
Private Lot
Additional
Beer, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Sakana Dinner Set
$75.00 per person
Prepaid
Multiple dates available
An intimate dining experience featuring locally caught fish marinated in sake kasu, cooked sous vide, with mango saikyo miso sauce made with peak of season Kaua‘i mangoes. Additional plates include namasu green papaya, macadamia ohitashi greens, agebitashi eggplant, Japanese & purple rice, osuimono soup. No cancellations, refunds, changes, or substitutions. Dietary restrictions must be cleared before booking.
Robatayaki Dinner Set
$95.00 per person
Prepaid
Multiple dates available
An intimate dining experience featuring the art of cooking with binchō-tan charcoal. Namasu green papaya, macadamia ohitashi greens, Japanese & purple rice, sashimi grade Hawaiian ahi tataki with house made island ponzu and wasabi mayo, Snake River wagyu beef with aka miso, sake dipped Ali'i mushroom, Jidori chicken with Kauai ginger tare, market vegetables with garlic chive oil, miso soup. No cancellations, refunds, changes, or substitutions. Dietary restrictions must be cleared before booking.

What 397 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on all time ratings

4.8Food
4.9Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Discover a culinary gem at Aina Kauai Restaurant, where "mitch is a fantastic chef and host" crafting exquisite, locally-sourced dishes. Enjoy an intimate dining experience featuring a multi-course Robatayaki and delightful bento boxes. Guests rave about the "amazing one of a kind experience" and "wonderful food and service," making it a must-visit in Kauai!

397 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
VIP
New York City
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on December 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A must when on Kauai. Thoughtful, fantastic, and delicious!
1 person found this helpful
J
Jayden
VIP
Hawaii
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on December 19, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Aina Kauai’s cuisine was delicate but it leaves quite the impression. Everything was so very good - well executed and a delight to the eyes. Mitch is amazing and we commend him for what he has accomplished.
1 person found this helpful
j
jean
Seattle
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on November 30, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely the best dinner of my life. Everything was thoughtfully prepared and executed. All of the flavors worked together beautifully. Mitch is a fantastic chef and host and the restaurant is a gem
1 person found this helpful
S
Selin
VIP
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had the best food in the island with Mitch. Both the food and the ambiance were amazing. Recommend spending at least one dinner here.
1 person found this helpful
S
Stephen
Portland
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Superb meal. Mitch creates delicate and delicious flavors. Worth visiting!!
1 person found this helpful
S
Steve
VIP
Los Angeles
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best restaurant by far in Kauai! Owner chef really cares about the food and his patrons. Rivals some of the best kaseki meals on the mainland.
1 person found this helpful
M
Melanie
VIP
Jacksonville
25 reviews
5.0
25 reviews
Dined on November 16, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We enjoyed a delightful experience in an intimate setting. The Chef was so talented. Everything was delicious and the drink pairings perfect.
1 person found this helpful
C
Charles
VIP
Denver
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 15, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great dining experience. Mitchell is fantastic and his flavor combinations and pairings are done impeccably. Aina Kauai is not to be missed if you are searching for world class fine dining. We will be back on our next island visit!
1 person found this helpful
S
Simonne
VIP
Portland
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 14, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful food and service. Different than anything else we found on the island. Farm to table and clearly made with passion and skill.
1 person found this helpful
J
Janice
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 1, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing one of a kind experience in Kauai, highly recommend!
1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Aina Kauai Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 397 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 1, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 1 time today

Experiences are available.

4-985 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa, HI 96746-1551

Additional information

Neighborhood
Kapaa
Hours of operation
Dinner Wed–Sat 6:00 pm–7:00 pm
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Japanese Speciality, Creative Japanese, Farm-to-table
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Private Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Beer, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.ainakauai.com/
Phone number
(808) 698-6449
Catering
Please contact us at eat@ainakauai.com for catering.
Private party facilities
Please contact us at eat@ainakauai.com to reserve for a private event.

Aina Kauai Restaurant

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

Sakana Dinner Set

Robatayaki Dinner Set

Menu

What 397 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Aina Kauai Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is Aina Kauai Restaurant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information