In this video, I’m going to be taking you to some of the best cheap eats places on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. And the first place we’re at ’cause it’s a quintessential Hawaiian experience is Ono Ono Shave Ice. The best shave ice. $3.50, you can get a shave ice. If you add a snowcap and some ice cream, it’s an extra $1.50. So $5. This is big enough for two people. I like the passion fruit orange guava flavor. They make the syrups from 100% cane sugar, sugar cane. Pretty good, pretty good on a hot day. Make sure you get the snow cap and make sure you get the ice cream. There’s ice cream on the bottom, trust me, down there. Coconut flavor, one of my favorites. Check out Ono Ono Shave Ice. Just down the block there’s another one too. Wailua Shave Ice, they get about equivalent reviews on Yelp. But this whole neighborhood has really great cheap eats.
One quick note, food in the Hawaiian Islands is more expensive than in the mainland. So you look at these prices and think they might be kind of expensive but this is pretty cheap when it comes to Kauai. I have also generally limited to this list to actual physical restaurants that have places where you can eat inside at a table ’cause I like to eat inside at a table. You can find cheaper things to eat in Kauai if you’re willing to take it to go and eat it someplace else like your hotel or the beach.
For some pretty good Hawaiian plate lunches and mix plates, stop by Garden Island Barbecue and Chinese Restaurant. Yes, you can get Hawaiian plate lunches and Chinese food both in the same place. I’d recommend the barbecue mixed plate. It’s about $11. You get three meats, two scoops of rice and macaroni salad. The meats you get are Korean short rib, you get teriyaki chicken and teriyaki beef. Pretty delicious and oh there’s chickens out in front too.
A lot of people in Kauai will say that Bubba’s Burgers is like the Kauai equivalent to In ‘n Out Burger. The Kauai Special has two beef patties, pineapple and teriyaki sauce. And it’s all Kauai 100% grass fed beef. So, lets check it out and see how it tastes. Pretty good. It’s beefy. It’s sweet from the teriyaki sauce. Lettuce and tomato though, they have a sign that says it all comes from the U.S. It’s only on the Kauai burger and they don’t recommend it. ’cause they think it’s not as good as what comes local. But, the burger is pretty good. And its about $7. And hey, they’re open late til like nine o’clock at night.
For some Hawaiian inspired hot dogs in Poipu, check out Puka Dog. It’s this little cart behind me. And this little cart specializes in Hawaiian inspired hot dogs. What makes them Hawaiian inspired? Well, in addition to picking your spice level, you also pick what kind of fruit topping you want on it. It’s kind of a fruity sauce. Mango, papaya, coconut are some of the options and then you can also get Hawaiian inspired mustard too. They hollow out the bun when they put it in there. You get the hot dog for about $8. They also make fresh squeezed lemonade and you can get some Maui style potato chips. And if you’re saying Chris, an $8 hot dog is too expensive. Well, I’ll tell you, get out of the resort town of Poipu and go to Lihue by the airport. Check out Costco. They’re hot dogs a lot cheaper and you get a hot dog and a drink for the same price.
Speaking of Costco, it’s the next cheap eats place on this list. Hot dogs and a drink $1.50, slices of pizza $2, you guessed it, the food court’s outside so you do not need a membership to eat here. Just lots of cheap eats. Same prices in the islands as it is in the states. For some delicious Hawaiian garlic shrimp, check out Savage Shrimp. It’s in this little shack looking thing right here. Actually, it’s in the shopping mall just outside of Poipu in Kaloa. And if you’ve never had Hawaiian garlic shrimp before, it’s delicious. For about $14, you get a plate of shrimp, two scoops of rice and some coleslaw. It is peel and eat rice, peel and eat shrimp. So you have to peel it. Your hands will get messy. I just finished eating it and my hands smell like garlic and I’m sure they’ll smell like it for the next half day. If you don’t want to peel it and you don’t want to be messy for two extra dollars, they will peel it for you. You can also get your shrimp as a taco or you can get it fried as well. But definitely check it out. The shrimp I feel, garlic shrimp in Hawaii, I haven’t found another place to get anything quite like it, quite as good. I think the shrimp here is super fresh and delicious.
I had to include this location, not just because it’s yellow but because it gets good reviews on Yelp as well. The Kalpaki Beach Hut right in front of Kalpaki Beach. Famous for their burgers and their breakfast. Burgers and omelets both together. The burgers come with taro chips.
For a slightly healthier plate lunch than that last one. But one that’s a little more expensive. Stop by the Sleeping Giant Grill in Wailua. One of their specialties here are grilled fish plates. So instead of that barbecue mix, here you get grilled fish. Today, they had Ahi and like a yellow Marlin. $16 to $18 bucks for the plate. It also comes with two scoops of rice, a scoop of potato macaroni salad. Then it gets my stamp for approval because they don’t have Kikkoman soy sauce, they have the Aloha Shoyu Hawaiian soy sauce. They got a bunch of other things on the menu that are cheaper. The fish plates is the most expensive things here. You can get a Kalbi short rib plate here for $12 bucks. And the fish on the islands is expensive and so it’s expensive here too. There’s about six tables inside and about six tables outside. So, plenty of seating at this place. So, if you want some fresh fish, check out Sleeping Giant Grill in Wailua.
Another great option for fish is Coconut’s Fish Cafe. You’ve seen this one if you’ve seen my Cheap Eats video on Maui and actually it probably gets more expensive as I show this but I had to include it ’cause it’s just so good. They’re famous for their fish tacos. Their Mahi Mahi fish tacos. They’ve got a little bit of mango kinda of salsa and relish on them. Also, the fish and chips when you get that. You get Ono and Mahi fish and chips. But my favorite thing at Coconut Fish Cafe is the Coconut Shrimp. Six coconut shrimp battered in coconut with kind of a sweet and spicy sauce. Super delicious! It’s not super cheap, it’s actually kind of pricey. But again, I said fish on this island is pricey but if you like fish then you will like Coconut’s Fish Cafe.
For some classic, cheesy Hawaiian Americana. Check out Duke’s Canoe Club at the foot of the Marriott Kauai Resort. Two floors. There’s the sit-down Duke’s upstairs and the Barefoot Bar down below. Barefoot Bar often has live music and entertainment like they do tonight.
