3 Best Restaurants in The East Side, Kauai

If you want to eat at a lively restaurant that's a favorite with locals, visit Kintaro, but be prepared to wait—or better yet, make reservations—because the dining room and sushi bar are always busy. Try the softshell crab roll or the unbeatable Bali Hai Bomb, a roll of crab and smoked salmon, baked and topped with wasabi mayonnaise. For a traditional Japanese meal, ask for the tempura combination, complete with fish, shrimp, and vegetables; or order the house-made udon noodles in a satisfying broth. Teppanyaki dinners are meat, seafood, and vegetables flash-cooked on tabletop grills in an entertaining display. Tatami-mat seating is available for groups behind shoji screens. Cocktails and a nice selection of warm and chilled sake round out the menu.

Known for its Asian-influenced surf and turf menu, there's something for everyone here: salads, poultry, steaks and ribs, vegetarian fare, curries, and, of course, a wide selection of seafood, all with an Island flair. The decor may remind you of a Pacific Rim–theme rustic tavern, with its stained-wood interior and numerous paintings and carvings. The patio is enclosed with lush plants, but traffic noise detracts a bit from outdoor dining. 

A restored plantation cottage surrounded by tropical foliage is the casual setting for this island café, whose name and plant-based menu reflect the owner's love for his late dog. Choose from tofu scrambles, salads, chickpea-curry wraps, tempeh sandwiches, banana pancakes, hummus wraps, and Beyond Beef burgers. A selection of pupu (appetizers) is available after 11 am. Outdoor seating in the vine-covered garden is pleasant during nice weather, and acoustic music is offered most evenings.