This is one of the best restaurants in all the islands...trust me, we know. Tucked away in a cool spot in Hanalei town, the kitchen has produced magic for years now. Every single tapas and entree is truly a culinary delight. Enhanced by the very chill vibe and the excellent personal service by the wait staff. We particularly enjoy Chris and his attention to detail. If you are on the North Shore, have dinner here. It will be one of the highlights of your trip.

Food was amazing !! The drinks were real cocktails crafted and perfected . We sat at the bar and service was incredible very accommodating. Chase and Dylan the guys at the bar were the dynamic duo , worked in perfect sync, their attention to detail was superb . They gave us great options and opinions on the dishes. This place gets packed and over booked but they do take walk ins . Just a little wait but worth every minute and every penny . The scallops were to die for .

Excellent food, service & atmosphere! We were a party of 4 and dined with a 5:30pm reservation. We tried most of the dishes on the dinner menu and nothing disappointed!! The scallops, cucumber salad, lamb and braised short ribs were a few of our favorite dishes. Reservations book 30 days in advance which could be an issue if you are for a last minute dinner. And shout out to our awesome server, Julie! She gave great recommendations for dishes, kept our plates perfectly timed, beverages filled and could put up with the group of us! 2 of us in our party had an extended time in Kauai and were able to score an opening for dining again during our stay! And again had a fabulous meal!

Amazing service! From hostess to server...friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Had a great night and the food was exceptional.

Food was delicious!!! Must try the Hawai'i fish and filet Mignon hands down the best dish there!!! The lamb and short ribs was good too and pizza was filling There sauce on each dish was unique and highlight each dish. Tips this place get pack quick so it's best to make reservations beforehand. Walk in expect to wait Service was good our server Dylon was awesome and friendly. Ambiance was really sociable and lively. The only downside was each dish was bit on the smaller size and the a little more on the pricy side But the taste will justify on the why

We were able to snag a reservation to Bar Acuda. The ratings and menu was the perfect way to start our first night in Kauai. A tapas style dinner is always fun plus the local ingredients were attractive. This restaurant is in an unassuming shopping plaza. We parked in the back lot that was flooded and smelled of sewage. We were trying to dodge the rain and avoid puddles. There's another popular restaurant in the same vicinity and we almost went there instead, oops. We got to the Bar Acuda and were seated right away to the covered patio area near the entrance. The restaurant is small and there was a long waitlist for diners waiting their turn. Eventually, people were being turned away. When seated, I was immediately attacked by mosquitos so be aware and prepare. My long dress did not protect me from those sneaky bites. Speaking of bites, we stared with cocktails and the house bread. My favorite was the Smoke and Ginger but with mezcal. It was the perfect way to get things going. Things were a little backed up at the bar and kitchen but everything came out quickly once our ticket hit the kitchen. Service was wonderful and kind. Everyone stuck around for a quick chat. It was a nice and personable vibe. We ordered the local cucumber salad, spiced lentils, and the seared Hawaiian fish. My absolute favorite of the night was the salad. I know, you don't hear that often. This salad was crazy, crunch, and cool! It didn't look pretty and honestly underwhelming with the ingredients but the taste was intense. How can cucumber and chickpeas taste so good? Cucumber salad tip: Do not skip this item and you'll want your own. The lentils were tasty but not a standout item. The seared fish was cooked to perfection. The rich sauce was a nice addition to this beautiful dish. If you can grab a reservation, do it. You'll have a great meal.

We enjoyed our meal at Bar Acuda on our honeymoon. What we ordered: - cucumber salad: it's the worth the hype and was our favorite dish of the evening. It's bright and refreshing and was the perfect start to our meal. - potatoes: would recommend, a good salty side - fish: would skip, nothing unique and a bit underwhelming - Moroccan lentils: would skip, warm flavors but lacked seasoning - filet: would recommend, the only thing that was disappointing is that our dish came lukewarm

The food so good, the atmosphere, and the drinks were sooo good I forgot to take pictures. (that's how good it is) It's $$$... BUT DO NOT let that stop you. Avoid the $$$ at "The Dolphin" down the street and come to Bar Acuda. That's where your money should be spent vs the over-hyped sushi you'll get at The Dolphin. Bar Acuda is a culinary masterpiece, excellent cuisine and fine dining (while wearing shorts) on a small island! Small, shareable dishes. It's a Hawaiian take on traditional tapas. Great bar menu and a beautiful atmosphere. A must-stop destination for sure. Note: MAKE RESERVATIONS before you get to Hawaii! (they take them 30 days in advance)

We went off a recommendation from a person we met at one of our excursions. He highly recommended the place so we decided to try on our last day on the island. We didn't have reservations (highly recommended), but we didn't mind. We walked around for an hour or so before we were seated (dinner at 830pm). We sat near the bar. Even though the place was packed, the noise level was not bad at all. We ordered six tapas. All were delicious. My fav was the rack of lamb. The lamb was cooked perfectly. Tender with no gamey taste. The scallops and the fish of the day were fresh and so good!

So this ain't the end, I saw you again, today I had to turn my heart away Smiled like the sun, kisses for everyone And tales, it never fails -- Heart, Barracuda I thought that I had written this review, I guess I hadn't. This was one of our favorite meals last year in Kauai. Like too many people getting a reservation was futile. So, we joined the line about 30 minutes prior to opening and we received probably the best seat, at the bar with a great view of the kitchen. I really wouldn't want to sit anywhere else. We purposely were hungry so we could order everything. Service was top notch, decent and thoughtful wine list although I brought a special bottle with corkage at $30. Favorite dishes include the roasted potatoes, lamb, steak, scallops, house bread, veggies. Everything was outstanding although we were underwhelmed with the house salad. Worth the splurge, it is pricey although not as expensive as the Japanese restaurant overlooking Hanalei bay (which is also an outstanding restaurant). Let's hope Kauai can stay Kauai and not turn into Maui. Highly recommended.