Wonderful experience. Food was delicious and the service was excellent as well. Reservations are required and become available a month in advance however, walk-ins are allowed and seated in the bar area. Walk-ins cue up an hour before they open.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nick Ramirez
100 out of 100 – A Must-Visit in Hanalei!
Bar Acuda absolutely blew us away. Our first dinner was so phenomenal that we immediately booked reservations for the following night — it’s that good.
The stars of the show were the cucumber, avocado, feta, and chickpea salad (fresh, bright, and balanced), followed by the roasted broccolini, the melt-in-your-mouth lamb riblets, and the perfectly cooked filet mignon. Honestly, every single dish was spot-on — flavorful, beautifully presented, and perfectly executed.
The service was just as impressive. Dylan and Julie behind the bar were awesome, and Bree, our server, was warm, attentive, and on point both nights. The vibe of the restaurant is exactly what you hope for in Hanalei — relaxed, lively, and full of good energy.
Trust me when I say this: if you’re anywhere near Hanalei, you need to eat at Bar Acuda. Incredible food, amazing staff, great atmosphere — an unforgettable experience from start to finish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrew Enos
This could be the best food on the island. Everything was fantastic, excellent cocktails, great food, awesome service. Our server Chris was very professional, had amazing knowledge, and was very attentive. We feel lucky we were able to get in, the word is out, make your reservations early.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tejas
One of the best dining experiences on the island! The lamb chops were absolutely exquisite, and the broccoli was incredibly flavorful and perfectly cooked. The service was warm and attentive, and the atmosphere made the meal even better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
jbug103
Absolutely fantastic meal! The tapas were full of flavor, and both the lamb and Hawaiian fish were top-notch choices. The cucumber salad was refreshing, and the pizzetta was delightful. Highly recommend!
Len F
Whenever we come to kaua’i we stay in Princeville and look forward to at least one night dining at Bar Acura. Last minute reservations are impossible to get, but if you really want to go there, wait at the front door 30 minutes before they open at 5:30 and you will get either a table or bar seating. Both are wonderful. We love the fabulous tapas, all of which pair well with a glass of Txakoli, a delightful white wine from the Basque region of Spain. The restaurant is quiet if you sit on the veranda, the service is unrushed, and the ambience very comfortable.
AshleyNorCal
The food is incredible and great table service. The bummer is the reservation situation. They are virtually impossible to get, so you have to get there early and hope to get seated.
PuggleLovers
Dined at Bar Acuda twice during our holiday in Kauai. Reservations are definitely needed and one should reserve a month in advance. Our waiter Chris was very friendly and attentive. IMO the specialty cocktails like Mai Tai were like drinking gasoline. Manager said they were training a new bartender. IMO the best things to eat is the cucumber salad (yum), honeycomb with humboldt fog cheese with apple and the lamb riblets. I was not a fan of the Pizzetta. I thought the dinners were okay, but definitely not work the money. IMO, The Dolphin down the street was better.
bjcango
Amazing tapas, great wine selection, creative menu choices, and very knowledgeable waiter. One of the best meals we had on the island (Kauai)!
ardish2017
The food and service were the best. Wish we could have gone back again. We showed up late on a Thursday and didn't have a reservation but they were able to give us a table. It is beautiful and the food and service were amazing.
The food is absolutely delicious, the cocktails thoughtful and well made, and the wine list featured many value options—especially by Hawaii standards. Well done!
scottacat
Great service, comfortable space. The food was good, though not as tasty or innovative as in the past. Still, better than most restaurants in Hanalei.
Stuart Debaker
Food was great. Plan on spending a little extra.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Local North Shore Honeycomb with Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese and Crisp Apple, Seared Sea Scallop, Papas Ajo
Dave Heefner
This place would get higher marks, but it’s trying to punch above its belt for how much it costs for food and drink. There are interesting ingredients for the dishes and drinks, but it didn’t really wow us in execution. E.g. the $19 cocktails lacked depth and taste for being that price (at the very least, upgrade to fancier glassware tailored to the drink), and the cucumber salad everyone raves about in these comments is missing an element to really give it some pop (probably an acid or more umami/salt).
Is it a good spot to check out? Probably. Does it match the hype? Not exactly. The restaurant seems to suffer from what happens when a restaurant markets itself as a place that serve Spanish tapas: you can serve small portions and jack up prices of each dish because it’s Spanish food. We spent over $200 here and then had to get food elsewhere afterwards to feel satisfied.
Sure, you can probably chalk it up to “Hawaii is expensive”, but for the same costs just go to the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay and at least get a spectacular view while dining.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Grilled Lamb Riblettes
Zach Miller
Mid place trying to do fancy things and just comes out mid. Almost 40 dollars a plate and service as good as a chain restaurant. Do yourself a favor and spend your money at a locally owned place.
Wonderful experience. Food was delicious and the service was excellent as well. Reservations are required and become available a month in advance however, walk-ins are allowed and seated in the bar area. Walk-ins cue up an hour before they open.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
100 out of 100 – A Must-Visit in Hanalei!
Bar Acuda absolutely blew us away. Our first dinner was so phenomenal that we immediately booked reservations for the following night — it’s that good.
The stars of the show were the cucumber, avocado, feta, and chickpea salad (fresh, bright, and balanced), followed by the roasted broccolini, the melt-in-your-mouth lamb riblets, and the perfectly cooked filet mignon. Honestly, every single dish was spot-on — flavorful, beautifully presented, and perfectly executed.
The service was just as impressive. Dylan and Julie behind the bar were awesome, and Bree, our server, was warm, attentive, and on point both nights. The vibe of the restaurant is exactly what you hope for in Hanalei — relaxed, lively, and full of good energy.
Trust me when I say this: if you’re anywhere near Hanalei, you need to eat at Bar Acuda. Incredible food, amazing staff, great atmosphere — an unforgettable experience from start to finish.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This could be the best food on the island.
Everything was fantastic, excellent cocktails, great food, awesome service.
Our server Chris was very professional, had amazing knowledge, and was very attentive.
We feel lucky we were able to get in, the word is out, make your reservations early.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
One of the best dining experiences on the island! The lamb chops were absolutely exquisite, and the broccoli was incredibly flavorful and perfectly cooked. The service was warm and attentive, and the atmosphere made the meal even better.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Absolutely fantastic meal! The tapas were full of flavor, and both the lamb and Hawaiian fish were top-notch choices. The cucumber salad was refreshing, and the pizzetta was delightful. Highly recommend!
Whenever we come to kaua’i we stay in Princeville and look forward to at least one night dining at Bar Acura. Last minute reservations are impossible to get, but if you really want to go there, wait at the front door 30 minutes before they open at 5:30 and you will get either a table or bar seating. Both are wonderful. We love the fabulous tapas, all of which pair well with a glass of Txakoli, a delightful white wine from the Basque region of Spain. The restaurant is quiet if you sit on the veranda, the service is unrushed, and the ambience very comfortable.
The food is incredible and great table service. The bummer is the reservation situation. They are virtually impossible to get, so you have to get there early and hope to get seated.
Dined at Bar Acuda twice during our holiday in Kauai. Reservations are definitely needed and one should reserve a month in advance. Our waiter Chris was very friendly and attentive. IMO the specialty cocktails like Mai Tai were like drinking gasoline. Manager said they were training a new bartender. IMO the best things to eat is the cucumber salad (yum), honeycomb with humboldt fog cheese with apple and the lamb riblets. I was not a fan of the Pizzetta. I thought the dinners were okay, but definitely not work the money. IMO, The Dolphin down the street was better.
Amazing tapas, great wine selection, creative menu choices, and very knowledgeable waiter. One of the best meals we had on the island (Kauai)!
The food and service were the best. Wish we could have gone back again. We showed up late on a Thursday and didn't have a reservation but they were able to give us a table. It is beautiful and the food and service were amazing.
Restaurantji Recommends
The food is absolutely delicious, the cocktails thoughtful and well made, and the wine list featured many value options—especially by Hawaii standards. Well done!
Great service, comfortable space. The food was good, though not as tasty or innovative as in the past. Still, better than most restaurants in Hanalei.
Food was great. Plan on spending a little extra.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Local North Shore Honeycomb with Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese and Crisp Apple, Seared Sea Scallop, Papas Ajo
This place would get higher marks, but it’s trying to punch above its belt for how much it costs for food and drink. There are interesting ingredients for the dishes and drinks, but it didn’t really wow us in execution. E.g. the $19 cocktails lacked depth and taste for being that price (at the very least, upgrade to fancier glassware tailored to the drink), and the cucumber salad everyone raves about in these comments is missing an element to really give it some pop (probably an acid or more umami/salt).
Is it a good spot to check out? Probably. Does it match the hype? Not exactly. The restaurant seems to suffer from what happens when a restaurant markets itself as a place that serve Spanish tapas: you can serve small portions and jack up prices of each dish because it’s Spanish food. We spent over $200 here and then had to get food elsewhere afterwards to feel satisfied.
Sure, you can probably chalk it up to “Hawaii is expensive”, but for the same costs just go to the 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay and at least get a spectacular view while dining.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Grilled Lamb Riblettes
Mid place trying to do fancy things and just comes out mid. Almost 40 dollars a plate and service as good as a chain restaurant. Do yourself a favor and spend your money at a locally owned place.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 1
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