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Aina Kauai Restaurant, Kapaa, HI

Aina Kauai Restaurant

5 (415)
$50 and over
Japanese Speciality
4-985 Kuhio Hwy, Kapaa, HI 96746-1551

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 1 time today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Fancy
  • Innovative
  • Good for special occasions
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 Thu, 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

  • Robatayaki Dinner Set & Dessert

    $120.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Savor an intimate robatayaki journey at ‘Āina Kaua‘i, where only 12 diners gather nightly in Kapa‘a. Start with seasonal pickled vegetables and macadamia ohitashi. Then, enjoy plates kissed by binchō-tan charcoal, featuring seared Hawaiian #1 ahi tataki with island ponzu, shio-koji-marinated Snake River wagyu with hatcho aka miso, sake-dipped Hāmākua ali‘i mushroom, Jidori chicken tsukune with Kolo Kai ginger tare, market vegetables with garlic chive oil, and yaki onigiri with purple rice. End with miso soup, followed by pandan coconut ice cream, jackfruit mitarashi dango, and fresh lemongrass tea. Optional sake pairings elevate the experience. No refunds, changes, or cancellations are permitted. Dietary restrictions and allergies must be pre-approved via email (eat@ainakauai.com) before booking. No same-day requests or gluten-free diets accommodated. Menu varies seasonally.
    Robatayaki Dinner Set & Dessert Photo

  • Sakana Dinner Set & Dessert

    $120.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Savor an intimate seafood journey at ‘Āina Kaua‘i, where only 12 diners gather nightly in Kapa‘a. Start with seasonal pickled vegetables and macadamia ohitashi. Then, enjoy vibrant Hawaiian #1 ahi tartare with sesame-tamari-lime and Laotian jeow som, paired with an ‘uala chip, followed by locally caught fish marinated in sake kasu, cooked sous vide, and served with peak-of-season Moloa’a mango saikyo miso sauce paired with Japanese and purple rice with furikake. End with osuimono soup, followed by pandan coconut ice cream, jackfruit mitarashi dango, and fresh lemongrass tea. Optional sake pairings elevate the experience. No refunds, changes, or cancellations are permitted. Dietary restrictions and allergies must be pre-approved via email (eat@ainakauai.com) before booking. No same-day requests or gluten-free diets accommodated. Menu varies seasonally.
    Sakana Dinner Set & Dessert Photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 415 people are saying

Aina Kauai Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

5.0
5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 5Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.9Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

  • Hawaii

    Best Overall

  • Hawaii

    Best Food

  • Hawaii

    Best Service

  • Hawaii

    Best Value

  • Hawaii

    Innovative

  • Kauai

    Best Overall

  • Kauai

    Best Food

  • Kauai

    Best Service

  • Kauai

    Best Ambiance

  • Kauai

    Best Value

  • Kauai

    Innovative

  • Kauai

    Healthy

  • Kauai

    Neighborhood gem

  • Kauai

    Romantic

  • Kauai

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Aina Kauai Restaurant offers an extraordinary dining experience with Japanese Kaiseki-inspired tasting menus. Praised for "incredible and unique experience," the chef's passion shines through each meticulously crafted dish. Guests enjoy "amazing meal with a personal touch," exceptional service, and fresh, local ingredients. A must-visit for special occasions and fine dining enthusiasts.
415 Reviews

  1. Jesse VIP

    San Francisco4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing meal with a personal touch, loved talking to the chef and having a romantic dinner on our honeymoon

    1 person found this helpful

  2. Jan

    Caribbean10 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    If there was a Michelin restaurant on Kauai, Aina Kauai would be that restaurant. The cuisine is inspired by Japanese Kaiseki meals. Meals are tasting menus - 7 courses in all. The meals come with or without alcohol pairings. This is a special occasion restaurant. Meals run approximately $130 dollars per person without drinks. But the cuisine is well worth it! The cuisine is fresh and the flavors extraordinary. The main course was a deep sea grouper served with a wonderful papaya sauce. The use of local fish, fruits and vegetables makes this an authentic Hawaiian meal. My wife and I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the world. Aina Kauai rivals matches many of the best and is worth the experience.

    1 person found this helpful

  3. Kurt

    Chicago1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Fantastic curated menu and craft cocktails. The food was 10/10. Highly recommended for anyone visiting Kauai and enjoys fine dining.

    1 person found this helpful

  4. Diana

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 13, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent dinner! Super friendly host, nice atmosphere, and amazing food.

    1 person found this helpful

  5. OpenTable Diner VIP

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Incredible and unique experience. Amazing chef with unparalleled talent. Took pride in every plate. The attention to detail was outstanding. Flavor profiles were perfect and representative of the blended cuisine that exists in Hawaii. Reasonable portions for high end which was perfect. Wishing everything and more to this fantastic establishment.

    1 person found this helpful

  6. Hallie VIP

    Hawaii66 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Each dish was absolute perfection. The attention to detail in taste, presentation and service excellent. Each dish was better than the last, right down to the amazing Pandan ice cream made from the herb the owner grows himself. Each dish was explained in detail. I planned on taking pictures of each course however, after the first one I was so excited to taste that I completely forgot! Perfect spot for a quiet, delicious and relaxed dining experience.

    1 person found this helpful

  7. OpenTable Diner

    Seattle2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was amazing and Chef Mitch was wonderful. He made us feel right at home and we appreciated his fantastic sake pairing!

    1 person found this helpful

  8. Neal

    Los Angeles13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Having dined at all the best restaurants across all the Hawaiian islands, I can most definitely confirm that Aina is by far the most accomplished restaurant in all of Hawaii and is in my top five restaurants of all time. Chef Mitch was able to accommodate our party despite having no available reservations on Open Table when I initially tried to book his fabulous restaurant and we were extremely fortunate. It was a prix fixe menu with an add on for various sakes and every course built perfectly upon one another. I wasn't a big sake fan before dining at Aina but the ones he poured were very delicious and I am now very much a sake fan. This restaurant deserves at least 2 Michelin stars and I very much hope to see that rating in the future! This restaurant is a must visit for anyone visiting Kauai.

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Michael VIP

    Chicago6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 21, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely excellent! Unique experience. Great food and drink. Not low priced, but very high value for the dollar.

    1 person found this helpful

  10. Katie

    Las Vegas1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Chef Mitch dedicates his time and energy to ensuring you are receiving the best service and the highest quality of food. This man is a one man show, and his service and cooking was incredible. Everything is so meticulously crafted and the delivery of food is so thought out. He also has his own farm in Kaua’i so it is truly farm to table. He respects the food of Kaua’i and it is shown throughout the entire course. Thank you Chef Mitch for providing such a wonderful experience during our stay, we will be back for the fish course in the future!

    1 person found this helpful

FAQs

Aina Kauai Restaurant is rated 5 stars by 415 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Hawaii
  4. Kauai
  5. Kapaa

Make a reservation

Booked 1 time today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Aina Kauai Restaurant

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

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Kapaa
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Thu, 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.
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