My first visit to this place was an absolute blast! I tried the lobster roll, which they call the burrito. I also had the ahi tuna sandwich and the ahi tuna bowl. We also got two of their classic burgers and a basket of fries with their special sauce. It was so good! I later found out that Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives featured this restaurant on his show, which was a cool little fact. If you haven’t been here yet, I highly recommend it!
Great staff. Great price for Hawaii. Ambience is what it is. Food was on point.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kenji Burger with Furikake Fries
Chris Letawsky
We enjoyed our food, the sushi rolls were delicious. Service was good. I would recommend giving them a try
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Sushi Burrito
Patrick Johnson
Seemed like a nice chill, open experience. The restaurant is woefully understaffed and did not limit seating to compensate. The single waitress on the floor was running everywhere with little help from floor management that was there.
The kitchen struggled to handle orders and having prepped food to fulfill orders. Waitress told us they had to force thaw our chicken and was the reason for the delay in our order.
Pricey for what we got delivered to our table. Would probably not recommend to my friends. However, if you need that "Triple D" experience, take it in.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Sachin Amin
Food was good, Japanese roll is a must
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Ann Christison
Wish we could have tried it. Went here twice on our trip around 7:30 PM and were told they were closing up early or that the kitchen was closed for evening. Kenji burger should update their website with available dining hours. Website says they close at 9:00 PM.
Service: 1
Shane Agnew
Once again we had a fantastic trip to Kauai and we decided to grab some "quick" food before heading to the airport. We didn't want your typical McDonald's fast food, but instead, wanted to try something a little nicer. We came across Kenzie Burger on Google and it had decent reviews so we thought we'd give it a try. It was only open until 9 but we arrived just before 8pm. We were seated with a smile and our food came out fairly quickly. I ordered the Katsu chicken bowl and a Chardonnay and my husband had a Hapa burger. My wine was quite good. My chicken bowl was meh. I asked for more sauce because it was fairly dry. My husband didn't care for his burger, but other than the fact the bacon was over cooked and hard, it possibly was just not the right flavours for him. Our biggest issue was the fact our server came to our table when I was still eating to get us to pay. We had only had our meals for ten or fifteen minutes and I said, I'm not even done yet. She told me she knew that, but her boss was "pissed off" that the hostess seated us and that they should have been closed at 8pm. I was not impressed but we paid and left quickly. On my way out I told "the boss" who was apparently upset, that Google said they were open Friday nights til 9pm, and I felt it was sort of rude to have rushed us out. He really didn't seem to care, saying well, things change. Then turned away and continued closing our the till. I can't believe the good rating they have on Google with the absence of decent customer service and Aloha. We should have made a different choice in beautiful Old Koloa Town. This wasn't exactly what we meant by a "quick" dinner.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Dave Gamber
Our second visit to the island, and Kenji Burger was a must stop for us once again. Not fancy, but brimming with the spirit of Aloha! Everyone in our party was pleased, but my Ahi Sandwich is always the show stopper! Jen was our server and added so much to the experience! Looking forward to our next visit, Mahalo!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Loco Moco Bowl
Sacha McNeil
This is my second review of Kenji Burger, my first was in Kapaa the night before....
Alas, our Kenji Burger love story continued, completely by accident. Driving through the magical tree tunnel and winding up in the charming town of Koloa (seriously, it’s like the most idealistic island town), we found ourselves at the end of the road—and what was waiting for us? Another Kenji Burger. It felt like fate.
We had planned to revisit the Kapaa location, but who were we to turn down this serendipitous opportunity? This spot had a different vibe—more of a sit-down setup with a large, partially indoor area. Our server, Jenn, was amazing, and after hearing about our spiritual burger experience in Kapaa, she seemed determined to deliver an encore performance.
This time, I decided to shake things up and ordered the Hapa Burger: a glorious creation featuring Japanese BBQ sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese, sriracha pineapple slaw, caramelized onions, and, of course, 100% Kauai grass-fed beef. It came out thicker and cooked medium—perfectly juicy and bursting with flavor.
The flavor explosion was unreal. The sweet tang of the pineapple slaw mingled effortlessly with the savory crunch of the bacon, creating a textural masterpiece. The caramelized onions and BBQ sauce added a smoky sweetness that elevated the buttered bun to new heights of deliciousness. The beef was every bit as flavorful as the Truffle Burger I had devoured the night before. I was in burger heaven all over again.
But here’s where it gets interesting. About halfway through this culinary bliss, my taste buds decided to take a little nap—thanks to bromelain, the enzyme in pineapple that can cause numbing. No fault of Kenji (or the pineapple’s deliciousness), but it was a tiny reminder from the universe that even paradise has its quirks. So, if you’re going for the Hapa, just be prepared for a slight flavor fade if you’re sensitive to bromelain.
Even with the numbing twist, this burger still ranks among the best I’ve ever had. As we walked out, we were already scheming how to fit in one more Kenji visit before we left the island. Getting the shirt next time.
Kenji Burger, you’ve done it again. We are unofficially part of the fan club. If you’re in Koloa, Kapaa, or anywhere in between, don’t miss this place. Your taste buds will thank you—well, until the bromelain kicks in.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sandwich, Hapa Burger and Furikake Fries, Truffle
Ordered food twice through Chow Now. First time the wait was about 30 minutes longer than the estimate and didn’t find out until I got there. The second order they cancelled after I arrived because they were “too busy”, and the food was pretty basic.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
heidi lafaver
what a great spot! local recommended to us. i had the ahi tuna roll with salmon which was amazing. hubs had the teriyaki bbq burger and enjoyed it. both had a beer on tap. the staff was friendly and helpful. good and beer came out hot and well timed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Zachary Kahn
I placed an order for pickup online. They actually called me immediately after to let me know the kitchen was backed up and I should wait 10 extra minutes. I picked up the food and went home.
I ordered a cod bowl. I had no fish, but an extra burger in my bag. I checked the receipt to confirm they had my order correct. I assumed they just put the wrong item in my bag. Annoying, but I know it happens.
I call them up to let them know about the mistake and ask for a refund. "Sorry, we were out of cod so the chef decided to give you a burger instead." This is an insane response. Clearly, you can contact me because you let me know to wait for the kitchen, but didn't think it was necessary to tell me you don't have what I ordered? Or to tell me when I picked up the food?
I could almost accept this if it was a close substitute, but this was not. They replaced a fish dish with a cheaper beef burger. What if I didn't eat beef? And what about the fact that you charged me for an item that was $5 more than what you gave me?
The only positive is that they gave me a refund immediately.
Oh, and the "free" burger was overcooked. Furikake fries are good at least
Food: 4
Service: 1
sarakaitlin
Got the Impossible Burger with ketchup, furikaki fries, and white Sangria. I shared the fries with my Dad. The food was VERY tasty: the vegetarian burger was yummy and not too filling, the fries were very flavorable and salty but not too salty, and the drink was divine. I never saw an alcoholic drink with fresh berries IN the drink before. That was cool. Also I usually have red Sangria but never tried white Sangria before until last night at Kenji. It's a good place for hangout and bar-like environment: if you're a child-free Millennial or Gen Z like me who drinks it's a good environment. But I'm aware that if you're looking for kid friendly and/or retirement crowd or don't drink it may not be your cup of tea. Even though the food was good the service was okay. The waitress dropped my burger and had to have a new one cooked for me, she gave my Dad a cucumber drink instead of cucumber salad, and she told me they took Venmo but then backtracked and said they actually didn't and I ended up paying with debit. It's okay though, everyone makes mistakes but if you're not as patient and like top-notch service then you may be disappointed.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 2
Clara Mikhaeil
Had one of the best burgers here and Def recommend the truffle burger. It was so good that we came back a second time during our five days stay on the island. This time I got The soft shell crab roll based on some of the other reviews. Taste was good but it was more of a lettuce roll as it barely had any crab meat! That was very disappointing. I also got the sake sangria and did not like it. It was too sweet and without any distinct flavoring. Servers are great.
Refused service
Service: 1
My first visit to this place was an absolute blast! I tried the lobster roll, which they call the burrito. I also had the ahi tuna sandwich and the ahi tuna bowl. We also got two of their classic burgers and a basket of fries with their special sauce. It was so good! I later found out that Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives featured this restaurant on his show, which was a cool little fact. If you haven’t been here yet, I highly recommend it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lobster Sushi Roll, Sauce, Kenji Bowl Loco Moco, Lobster Burrito, Ahi Sandwich
Great staff. Great price for Hawaii. Ambience is what it is. Food was on point.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Kenji Burger with Furikake Fries
We enjoyed our food, the sushi rolls were delicious. Service was good. I would recommend giving them a try
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Sushi Burrito
Seemed like a nice chill, open experience. The restaurant is woefully understaffed and did not limit seating to compensate. The single waitress on the floor was running everywhere with little help from floor management that was there.
The kitchen struggled to handle orders and having prepped food to fulfill orders. Waitress told us they had to force thaw our chicken and was the reason for the delay in our order.
Pricey for what we got delivered to our table. Would probably not recommend to my friends. However, if you need that "Triple D" experience, take it in.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Food was good, Japanese roll is a must
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Wish we could have tried it. Went here twice on our trip around 7:30 PM and were told they were closing up early or that the kitchen was closed for evening. Kenji burger should update their website with available dining hours. Website says they close at 9:00 PM.
Service: 1
Once again we had a fantastic trip to Kauai and we decided to grab some "quick" food before heading to the airport. We didn't want your typical McDonald's fast food, but instead, wanted to try something a little nicer. We came across Kenzie Burger on Google and it had decent reviews so we thought we'd give it a try. It was only open until 9 but we arrived just before 8pm. We were seated with a smile and our food came out fairly quickly. I ordered the Katsu chicken bowl and a Chardonnay and my husband had a Hapa burger. My wine was quite good. My chicken bowl was meh. I asked for more sauce because it was fairly dry. My husband didn't care for his burger, but other than the fact the bacon was over cooked and hard, it possibly was just not the right flavours for him. Our biggest issue was the fact our server came to our table when I was still eating to get us to pay. We had only had our meals for ten or fifteen minutes and I said, I'm not even done yet. She told me she knew that, but her boss was "pissed off" that the hostess seated us and that they should have been closed at 8pm. I was not impressed but we paid and left quickly. On my way out I told "the boss" who was apparently upset, that Google said they were open Friday nights til 9pm, and I felt it was sort of rude to have rushed us out. He really didn't seem to care, saying well, things change. Then turned away and continued closing our the till. I can't believe the good rating they have on Google with the absence of decent customer service and Aloha. We should have made a different choice in beautiful Old Koloa Town. This wasn't exactly what we meant by a "quick" dinner.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Our second visit to the island, and Kenji Burger was a must stop for us once again. Not fancy, but brimming with the spirit of Aloha! Everyone in our party was pleased, but my Ahi Sandwich is always the show stopper! Jen was our server and added so much to the experience! Looking forward to our next visit, Mahalo!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Loco Moco Bowl
This is my second review of Kenji Burger, my first was in Kapaa the night before....
Alas, our Kenji Burger love story continued, completely by accident. Driving through the magical tree tunnel and winding up in the charming town of Koloa (seriously, it’s like the most idealistic island town), we found ourselves at the end of the road—and what was waiting for us? Another Kenji Burger. It felt like fate.
We had planned to revisit the Kapaa location, but who were we to turn down this serendipitous opportunity? This spot had a different vibe—more of a sit-down setup with a large, partially indoor area. Our server, Jenn, was amazing, and after hearing about our spiritual burger experience in Kapaa, she seemed determined to deliver an encore performance.
This time, I decided to shake things up and ordered the Hapa Burger: a glorious creation featuring Japanese BBQ sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese, sriracha pineapple slaw, caramelized onions, and, of course, 100% Kauai grass-fed beef. It came out thicker and cooked medium—perfectly juicy and bursting with flavor.
The flavor explosion was unreal. The sweet tang of the pineapple slaw mingled effortlessly with the savory crunch of the bacon, creating a textural masterpiece. The caramelized onions and BBQ sauce added a smoky sweetness that elevated the buttered bun to new heights of deliciousness. The beef was every bit as flavorful as the Truffle Burger I had devoured the night before. I was in burger heaven all over again.
But here’s where it gets interesting. About halfway through this culinary bliss, my taste buds decided to take a little nap—thanks to bromelain, the enzyme in pineapple that can cause numbing. No fault of Kenji (or the pineapple’s deliciousness), but it was a tiny reminder from the universe that even paradise has its quirks. So, if you’re going for the Hapa, just be prepared for a slight flavor fade if you’re sensitive to bromelain.
Even with the numbing twist, this burger still ranks among the best I’ve ever had. As we walked out, we were already scheming how to fit in one more Kenji visit before we left the island. Getting the shirt next time.
Kenji Burger, you’ve done it again. We are unofficially part of the fan club. If you’re in Koloa, Kapaa, or anywhere in between, don’t miss this place. Your taste buds will thank you—well, until the bromelain kicks in.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sandwich, Hapa Burger and Furikake Fries, Truffle
Restaurantji Recommends
Ordered food twice through Chow Now. First time the wait was about 30 minutes longer than the estimate and didn’t find out until I got there. The second order they cancelled after I arrived because they were “too busy”, and the food was pretty basic.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 2
what a great spot! local recommended to us. i had the ahi tuna roll with salmon which was amazing. hubs had the teriyaki bbq burger and enjoyed it. both had a beer on tap. the staff was friendly and helpful. good and beer came out hot and well timed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I placed an order for pickup online. They actually called me immediately after to let me know the kitchen was backed up and I should wait 10 extra minutes. I picked up the food and went home.
I ordered a cod bowl. I had no fish, but an extra burger in my bag. I checked the receipt to confirm they had my order correct. I assumed they just put the wrong item in my bag. Annoying, but I know it happens.
I call them up to let them know about the mistake and ask for a refund. "Sorry, we were out of cod so the chef decided to give you a burger instead." This is an insane response. Clearly, you can contact me because you let me know to wait for the kitchen, but didn't think it was necessary to tell me you don't have what I ordered? Or to tell me when I picked up the food?
I could almost accept this if it was a close substitute, but this was not. They replaced a fish dish with a cheaper beef burger. What if I didn't eat beef? And what about the fact that you charged me for an item that was $5 more than what you gave me?
The only positive is that they gave me a refund immediately.
Oh, and the "free" burger was overcooked. Furikake fries are good at least
Food: 4
Service: 1
Got the Impossible Burger with ketchup, furikaki fries, and white Sangria. I shared the fries with my Dad. The food was VERY tasty: the vegetarian burger was yummy and not too filling, the fries were very flavorable and salty but not too salty, and the drink was divine. I never saw an alcoholic drink with fresh berries IN the drink before. That was cool. Also I usually have red Sangria but never tried white Sangria before until last night at Kenji. It's a good place for hangout and bar-like environment: if you're a child-free Millennial or Gen Z like me who drinks it's a good environment. But I'm aware that if you're looking for kid friendly and/or retirement crowd or don't drink it may not be your cup of tea. Even though the food was good the service was okay. The waitress dropped my burger and had to have a new one cooked for me, she gave my Dad a cucumber drink instead of cucumber salad, and she told me they took Venmo but then backtracked and said they actually didn't and I ended up paying with debit. It's okay though, everyone makes mistakes but if you're not as patient and like top-notch service then you may be disappointed.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 2
Had one of the best burgers here and
Def recommend the truffle burger. It was so good that we came back a second time during our five days stay on the island. This time I got The soft shell crab roll based on some of the other reviews. Taste was good but it was more of a lettuce roll as it barely had any crab meat! That was very disappointing. I also got the sake sangria and did not like it. It was too sweet and without any distinct flavoring.
Servers are great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
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