Bali Hai
Hanalei Bay Resort, 5380 Honoiki Rd., Princeville, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-6522
$20 to $60
Princeville
Eclectic

Views of the bay are as memorable as the cuisine at this open-air, tropical restaurant that is richly appointed with natural wood. A specialty is Kauai onion soup topped with melted provolone cheese and croutons. For entrées, choose from fresh seafood dishes, lamb, filet mignon, and vegetarian offerings. For breakfast there are poi pancakes, fried taro, eggs, and griddle fare. The adjacent Happy Talk Lounge has nightly entertainment. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

The Beach House
5022 Lawai Rd., Koloa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-1424
$20 to $60
Koloa
Contemporary

This may have the best ocean view of any restaurant on the south shore. It's equally possible to get swept away by the cuisine here now that chef Jean-Marie Josselin (owner of the highly acclaimed A Pacific Café on Kauai, Maui, and Oahu) oversees the kitchen, with chef Linda Yamada on-site. The menu changes more often than the work of local artists on the walls, but you might find grilled salmon with spinach wonton and shrimp tomato broth; wok-charred sesame-crusted mahimahi with ginger-lime beurre blanc; or grilled Black Angus fillet with tumbleweed shrimp and a port-Gorgonzola sauce. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Brennecke's Beach Broiler
Hoone Rd., Poipu, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-7588
Under $60
Poipu
Eclectic

Right across from Poipu Beach Park, this place has been around for years, and happily so. Large open windows look out onto palm trees and the ocean, and pretty window boxes filled with petunias further brighten the scene. The restaurant specializes in kiawe-wood broiled foods - New York steak covered with mushrooms and beef ribs smothered in barbecue sauce. Brennecke's also serves fresh clams, catch of the day, Hawaiian spiny lobster, and gourmet burgers. The well-stocked all-you-can-eat salad bar with bread and chowder is a good deal. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Bull Shed
796 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/822-3791
Under $40
Kapaa
Eclectic

The A-frame design of this popular restaurant imparts a distinctly rustic feel, but the interior is brightened with light-color walls and unobstructed ocean views. Although it is known especially for prime rib, teriyaki sirloin, and fresh fish, the Alaskan king crab and homemade desserts are also good. Entrées come with salad from a rather basic salad bar and bread, but in true local style, plates are light on vegetables. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Cafe Hanalei and Terrace
Princeville Hotel, Princeville Resort, 5520 Haku Rd., Princeville, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-9644
$20 to $60
Princeville
Contemporary

Indoor and outdoor tables take full advantage of glorious views of Hanalei Bay and the peak popularly known as Bali Hai. The Sunday brunch and daily breakfast buffet are a feast of made-to-order omelets, crêpes, and fresh fruit, but the vanilla Belgian waffles and smoked peppered salmon with bagels, cream cheese, and capers are equally tasty. Luncheon selections include Japanese specialties in addition to lobster bisque, Cobb salad, and super sandwiches. For dinner try steamed opakapaka (snapper) with ginger, cilantro, and mushrooms, or sample Friday night's seafood buffet. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Café Luna
Hanalei Center, 5-5161 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-1177
$20 to $60
Hanalei
Italian

In a historic schoolhouse converted into shops and restaurants, Café Luna has indoor and outdoor garden-patio dining, an exhibition kitchen, and a good wine selection. For lunch or dinner, individual pizzas from the wood-burning oven come with toppings ranging from the tried-and-true (pepperoni and black olives) to the adventurous (smoked fish, caramelized onion, capers, and béchamel). Polenta with shrimp and ahi, ono (wahoo), and crab bisque are all flavorful starters, and for entrées the seared fresh fish on organic greens with wasabi vinaigrette or shrimp pasta with porcini mushrooms are recommended. Mocha mousse and tiramisu are satisfying desserts. AE, MC, V.

Café Portofino
Pacific Ocean Plaza, 3501 Rice St., Nawiliwili, HI, USA
Phone: 808/245-2121
$20 to $40
Nawiliwili
Italian

Dining here affords a panorama of mountain, sea, and sky across from Kalapaki Bay; get a table out on the lanai for the best views. The award-winning northern Italian cuisine includes such fresh pasta dishes as fettuccine in tomato, mushroom, garlic, and herb sauce. Specialties include rabbit with white wine, black olives, and herbs; and sweetbreads in a cream sauce on a bed of linguine. Italian gelato is made fresh daily. Entertainment is offered nightly. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends.

Caffe Coco
4-369 Kuhio Hwy., Wailua, HI, USA
Phone: 808/822-7990
Under $20
Wailua
Contemporary

A riot of tropical foliage surrounds this little restored plantation cottage and hangs from an overhead arbor in an outdoor dining area. The café, an attached black-light art gallery, and an artful shop called Bambulei make this a fun stop for any meal. Tasty dishes made from island products range from coco-custard French toast at breakfast to pot-sticker appetizers, ahi (yellowfin tuna) nori wraps, and Greek salads. "Fresh from the Garden" jams, salsas, and condiments are available to sample or take home. MC, V. Closed Mon.

Camp House Grill
Kaumualii Hwy. (Hwy. 50), Kalaheo, HI, USA
Phone: 808/332-9755
Under $40
Kalaheo
American/Casual

A simple plantation-style camp house on the road to Waimea Canyon has been transformed into a quaint little restaurant with creaky wooden floors. The food is equally down-home, with hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken, pork ribs, and fresh fish aimed to please families. Barbecued specialties include chicken and ribs, and huge sandwiches are served at lunchtime. Home-style breakfasts are served, and pies are baked fresh daily. As you enter Kalaheo heading west, look for the blue building on the right. - There are also two other locations: 1-3959 Kaumualii Hwy. (Hwy. 50) in Hanapepe (PHONE: 808/335-5656), and - Kauai Village in Kapaa (PHONE: 808/822-2442). MC, V.

Casa di Amici
2301 Nalo Rd., Poipu, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-1555
$20 to $60
Poipu
Italian

Casa di Amici means "house of friends," and with rattan furnishings under ceiling fans inside and deck seating with sweeping ocean views outside, it feels like the kamaaina home the building once was. The menu is broader than Italian-Mediterranean, including French, Thai, Japanese, and Vietnamese touches, but you'll find traditional antipasti (starters), zuppe (soup), pasta, insalata (salads), and pietanze (main courses). You can mix your favorite pasta with your choice of sauce, including pesto and arrabbiata (a spicy tomato sauce with sautéed pancetta and crushed chili pepper), or savor the house scampi. Most entrées can be ordered in "light" or regular portions. Reservations recommended. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Chuck's Steak House
Princeville Shopping Center, Princeville, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-6211
$20 to $40
Princeville
Eclectic

A paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) feeling permeates this split-level eatery, and saddles and blankets hang from the open-beam ceiling. Barbecue pork ribs, lobster, chicken, and Alaskan king crab are all good, but fresh island seafood and Black Angus beef is what Chuck's is known for. Can't make up your mind? They can put steak alongside almost any other entrée on a combination platter. The salad bar comes with all entrées. If you saved room for dessert, Chuck's special mud pie is a winner. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends.

Dani's Restaurant
4201 Rice St., Lihue, HI, USA
Phone: 808/245-4991
Under $20
Lihue
Eclectic

Kauai residents frequent this big and bare local eatery near the Lihue Fire Station. Owners Tsutao and Harriet Morioka have created a friendly "come as you are" ambience for breakfast or lunch. Dani's is a good place to try luau food without commercial luau prices. You can order Hawaiian-style laulau (pork wrapped in ti leaves and steamed) or kalua pig and rice. Other island-style dishes include Japanese-prepared tonkatsu (pork cutlet) and teriyaki beef, and there's an all-American New York steak. No credit cards. Closed Sun. No dinner.

Dondero's at the Hyatt Regency Kauai
Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort and Spa, 1571 Poipu Rd., Koloa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-1234
$20 to $60
Koloa
Italian

Inlaid marble floors, ornate green tile work, and ivy and Italianate murals make it difficult to choose between indoor and outdoor dining in this elegant restaurant. Porcini mushroom crêpes with Parmesan sauce, a perfectly seasoned Caesar salad, and spiedini (skewered lobster, scallops, and shrimp suspended over tender gnocchi pillows) might have sprung from an artist's palate. Chocolate hazelnut torte and rich crème brûlée are decadent closers. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Duke's Canoe Club
Kalapaki Beach, Lihue, HI, USA
Phone: 808/246-9599
$20 to $60
Lihue
Eclectic

This popular club is a feast of beautiful native woods, greenery, and Duke Kahanamoku memorabilia, enhanced by the sound of a waterfall running alongside the staircase that leads from the upstairs dining room to the beachside Barefoot Bar. Prime rib, seafood coconut curry, smoked marlin, and linguine are available if you like, but the best order here is the fresh catch of the day - prepared as you like it, from broiled plain to firecracker Thai-chili-glazed. Hula pie (Oreo cookie crust with ice cream) is the star of the dessert menu - with strolling musicians as an accompaniment. A bar menu and lunch are available. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Eggbert's
Coconut Marketplace, Kapaa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/822-3787
Under $20
Kapa'a
American/Casual

If you are big on breakfasts, try indoor or outdoor dining at Eggbert's, in the Coconut Marketplace. It's a great spot for omelets, banana pancakes, and eggs Benedict. You can even create your own Benedicts, adding mushrooms, spinach, or other meats and veggies as you please. Such child-size meals as "pigs in a blanket" keep down the cost of family outings here. MC, V.

Green Garden
Hwy. 50, Hanapepe, HI, USA
Phone: 808/335-5422
Under $40
Hanapepe
Eclectic

Hanging and standing plants throughout characterize this aptly named family-run restaurant, a favorite dining spot for Kauai residents and visitors since 1948. The Green Garden is very low-key, and the waitresses treat you like longtime friends. The food is no-frills local fare. Come here for the atmosphere first and the meals second. Dinner includes some 30 items of local, Asian, and American influence. The seafood special is breaded mahimahi fillet, scallops, oysters, and deep-fried shrimp. The homemade desserts are the best part of a meal here, particularly the lilikoi chiffon pie. AE, MC, V. Closed Tues.

Hanalei Gourmet
5-5161 Kuhio Hwy., across from Ching Young Center, Hanalei, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-2524
Under $40
Hanalei
American/Casual

This popular hangout has a casual north-shore atmosphere and large windows. Breakfasts include lox and bagels with cream cheese, and croissant sandwiches with bacon and scrambled eggs. Lunch and dinner menus feature hot sandwiches, burgers, salads, soups, fresh catch, big pupu (appetizer) platters, and picnic items to go. There's live music of one sort or another every night. D, DC, MC, V.

Hanamaulu Restaurant, Tea House, Sushi Bar and Robatayaki
1-4291 Kuhio Hwy. 58, Hanamaulu, HI, USA
Phone: 808/245-2511 or 808/245-3225
Under $40
Hanamaulu
Japanese

The first dining room that you enter in this old brown building is unexciting, but make reservations and ask for seating in one of the traditional Japanese rooms around the garden complete with carp in a peaceful pond. Chinese plate lunches with soup, salad, fried chicken, chop suey, crisp wonton, and spare ribs are the best deal, but traditional Japanese fare like sashimi, sushi, and teishoku (set meal) platters with miso soup, tempura shrimp, fish, and vegetables, chicken katsu (cutlet), and robatayaki (grilled seafood and meat) are the main attractions. MC, V. Closed Mon.

House of Seafood
Poipu Kai Resort, 1941 Poipu Rd., Poipu, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-6433
$20 to $60
Poipu
Seafood

Tropical vines wrap themselves around the handsome exposed beams of this restaurant overlooking the Poipu Resort tennis courts. Under this establishment's soaring ceilings try island seafood, from ahi to weke (goatfish). Preparations for 10 types of fish vary nightly. A variety of shellfish is also available, including lobster. Caesar salad is made fresh at your table, and all entrées come with fresh vegetables, almond rice pilaf, and freshly baked rolls. Delicious kiwi crêpes flambées and bananas Foster garner raves for dessert. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

JJ's Broiler
Anchor Cove, Nawiliwili, HI, USA
Phone: 808/246-4422
Under $40
Nawiliwili
Contemporary

Easy to find, with dining on an open deck overlooking Kalapaki Bay, this spot's thick and crispy french fries, potato skins, burgers, and pastrami-and-Swiss club sandwiches are reliable favorites for lunch. Dinners - herbed seafood linguine, coconut shrimp - are fancier and come with a salad bar rolled to your table. The house specialty is Slavonic steak, a broiled sliced tenderloin dipped in a buttery wine sauce. There's a shuttle bus from the harbor to bring you here - a nice touch for those arriving by sea. D, MC, V.

Kalaheo Steak House
4444 Papalina Rd., Kalaheo, HI, USA
Phone: 808/332-9780
$20 to $40
Kalaheo
Steak

It's the huge cut of prime rib, the tender top sirloin, the Cornish game hen in spicy herb and citrus marinade, and the succulent Alaskan king crab legs that make locals seek out this restaurant. Ceiling fans stir the air through open wooden louvers in the dark wood-paneled interior of this old building. Dinners are served with salad, rolls, and a choice of rice or baked potato. Rum cake, baked fresh daily, comes with Lappert's ice cream (made at a factory just up the road). Wines range from $8 to $25 a bottle. Children up to 11 can order from a separate low-priced menu. D, MC, V. No lunch.

Kapaa Fish & Chowder House
4-1639 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/822-7488
$20 to $40
Kapaa
Seafood

The gray-and-blue color scheme of this open-air restaurant is punctuated by thick hanging ferns and nautical memorabilia. Fish selections offered daily are served sautéed or broiled with a variety of sauces. Try sautéed sea scallops or the baked tiger prawns stuffed with shrimp and crab. The seafood fettuccine is also recommended. Ask for a table in the Edenlike Orchid Room. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Keoki's Paradise
Poipu Shopping Village, Poipu Beach, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-7534
Under $40
Poipu Beach
Seafood

Seafood stars at this Poipu favorite, styled to resemble a dockside boathouse. Though it sits in a corner of the inland Poipu Shopping Village, tinkling streams, lush foliage, and thatched roofs over the bar create an outdoor Polynesian atmosphere. Even the appetizers have an ocean flavor - from sashimi to fisherman's chowder. There is a sampling of beef and pork entrées for committed carnivores, but the day's fresh catch is what brings patrons to Keoki's. Choose from a half-dozen preparation styles and sauces, and save room for the hula pie. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Kukui's Poolside Restaurant and Bar
Kauai Marriott Hotel Resort and Beach Club, 3610 Rice St., Lihue, HI, USA
Phone: 808/246-5171
$20 to $60
Lihue
Eclectic

An imaginative marriage of Asian, Hawaiian, Mexican, and Continental tastes characterizes the menu at this comfortable restaurant. Open-air tables face the hotel's sprawling pool - a perfect spot to enjoy a lunch or an afternoon snack of kalua (roasted) pork quesadillas or Thai chicken pizza. A more formal atmosphere prevails at dinner, when the menu features selections with a Pacific Rim twist. Try lemon-rosemary chicken or a barbecued rack of lamb with shiitake risotto. At breakfast the temptations are twofold: a buffet or a full à la carte menu. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

La Cascata
Princeville Hotel, Princeville Resort, 5520 Haku Rd., Princeville, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-9644
$40 to $60
Princeville
Italian

Terra-cotta floors, hand-painted murals, and trompe l'oeil paintings give La Cascata an Italian villa flair, and picture windows offer dazzling views of Hanalei Bay. The menu emphasizes light sauces; plenty of pastas; plus fresh seafood, beef, and lamb. Savor smoked Hawaiian marlin with fresh asparagus and caviar or sample sautéed shrimp, lobster, clams, and scallops on pasta with a spicy tomato-fennel sauce. Top it off with an airy tiramisu or the day's sorbet selection. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Lighthouse Bistro
2484 Kaneke St., at Lighthouse Rd., Kaua'i, HI, USA
Phone: 808/828-0480
Under $40
Kaua'i
Contemporary

This out-of-the way restaurant has a comfortable plantation look with windows that open wide to the outdoors, terra-cotta floors, bamboo chairs, and Hawaiian artwork on the walls that's for sale. Some entrées have an Italian flair, such as seafood linguine or tortellini. Others, like stuffed shrimp in phyllo and chicken satay with Thai peanut sauce, are more Pacific Rim. Hank Curtis is at the piano Friday and Saturday nights. Reservations recommended. MC, V.

Mema, Thai Chinese Cuisine
Wailua Shopping Plaza, 4-361 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/823-0899
Under $40
Kapaa
Thai

Such menu items as broccoli with oyster sauce and cashew chicken reveal their Chinese origins, but the emphasis in this attractive restaurant is on Thai dishes. A host of curries - red, green, yellow, and house - made with coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves runs the gamut from mild to mayhem in spiciness. You have a choice of chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp with several side dishes, such as stir-fried eggplant with fresh basil. Orchids, torch ginger, and Asian memorabilia highlight a pretty-in-peach interior. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch weekends.

Old Hanalei Coffee Company
5-5183 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-6717
Under $20
Hanalei
American/Casual

In a restored 1920s home, this green-and-white emporium provides a wake-up call with its specialty coffees, waffles, and egg dishes. Pastries include aloha bars made with chocolate chips and macadamia nuts, and the fresh fruit smoothie of the day is reliably yummy. Visits here can be habit-forming and relatively inexpensive. Relax on the pretty white porch, sip your cappuccino, and watch the Hanalei scene drift by. D, MC, V.

A Pacific Cafe
Kauai Village Shopping Center, Hwy. 56, Kapaa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/822-0013
$40 to $60
Kapa'a
Contemporary

With its East-meets-West atmosphere and cutting-edge cuisine, chef Jean-Marie Josselin's restaurant has won high acclaim and numerous awards. He combines a love of Asian cooking with a commitment to fresh, homegrown ingredients in a menu that changes daily. In true nouvelle fashion he might present grilled moonfish with black-olive polenta, sun-dried tomatoes, pancetta, and shiitake mushrooms, or lamb with a red wine-mint glaze and garlic mashed potatoes. The macadamia-nut torte comes topped with toasted coconut, and the crème brûlée, a huge portion served in a pastry shell, is deliciously creamy. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Papaya's
Kauai Village Shopping Center, 4-831 Kuhio Hwy. 56, Kapaa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/823-0190
Under $20
Kapaa
Vegetarian

Courtyard dining is the draw at this well-stocked natural foods market, which is also a restaurant under the whale tower at Kauai Village. Sit beneath a pretty blue umbrella and enjoy grilled fish, a vegetarian burger, pasta with pesto, or Thai and Mexican fare. Takeout is also available. MC, V. Closed Sun.

Piatti
2253 Poipu Rd., Kiahuna Plantation, Koloa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-2216
$20 to $60
Koloa
Italian

This historic home, once the residence of a plantation manager, now offers Italian food served in a Polynesian atmosphere - a tripartite mix you'll find only in Aloha Land. Gardens with torchlit paths, rich wood interiors, and veranda dining will spark romance. Fresh herbs come from the manager's garden, and the island fish might have been caught only hours before reaching your table. Flavors are outstanding in such dishes as marinated grilled eggplant filled with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes; pizza with Portobello mushrooms, pancetta, and fontina cheese baked in the wood-burning oven; or the meltingly tender osso buco served with saffron risotto. AE, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Plantation House Café
Poipu Shopping Village, 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr., Koloa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-7373
Under $40
Koloa
Contemporary

This is a friendly family restaurant in Poipu Shopping Village with wooden floors, green shutters, and white decks that look like those on early plantation homes. Sit-down, takeout, and delivery service are offered for lunch and dinner, and there's also espresso and bakery goods at breakfast. You can order eight kinds of pizza, including Hawaiian with fresh pineapple. Besides pizza, there is something on the menu to suit anyone's taste - from Chinese chop salad to barbecued chicken to hot-and-spicy sweet chili shrimp to desserts of coconut macadamia-nut bread pudding - and everything is delicious. Wine and beer are served. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Pomodoro
Upstairs at Rainbow Plaza, Kaumualii Hwy. (Hwy. 50), Kalaheo, HI, USA
Phone: 808/332-5945
$20 to $60
Kalaheo
Italian

This intimate, family-run restaurant is brightened by pink linens, rattan chairs, and two walls of windows. Begin with prosciutto and melon, and then proceed directly to the lasagna (a favorite of the chefs, who are two Italian-born brothers). Other menu highlights include eggplant or veal parmigiana and scampi in a garlic, caper, and white-wine sauce. Freshly baked garlic bread and seasonal vegetables come with each meal. MC, V. No lunch.

Postcards Café
5-5075A Kuhio Hwy., Kaua'i, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-1191
$20 to $40
Kaua'i
Contemporary

This "Old Hawaii" restaurant, once no more than an old house in a rice field, is decorated with vintage photos and postcards to capture the mood of an earlier era, but the food is deliciously up-to-date. Smoothies and salads made with organic fruits and vegetables, vegan dishes, Thai coconut curry, and taro fritters highlight a varied menu that emphasizes local seafood. Desserts, often made with macadamia nuts and in-season fruits, have an island flavor. Brunch is great, but service can be slow. AE, MC, V. Closed Mon. No lunch.

Restaurant Kintaro
4-370 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/822-3341
$20 to $40
Kapaa
Japanese

This pretty restaurant with sliding shoji-screen doors and Asian prints on the walls serves complete sukiyaki dinners in an iron pot and tempura combinations that use fresh local fish. Teppan (grilled) dinners include tender hibachi shrimp sautéed in lemon butter and served with bean sprouts and steamed rice. Dinners come with chilled buckwheat noodles, miso soup, rice, Japanese pickles, and tea. A sushi bar is also on hand. AE, D, DC, MC, V. Closed Sun. No lunch.

Roadrunner Bakery and Café
2430 Oka St., Kilauea, HI, USA
Phone: 808/828-8226
Under $40
Kilauea
Mexican

Casual with a capital "C," the Roadrunner has a counter where you can order freshly baked taro rolls or bread in addition to breakfast pastries and espresso coffee. Vegetarian selections are available at lunch and dinner. The huevos rancheros have tomatillo sauce, beans, cheese, salsa, guacamole, rice, and tortillas. Burritos are huge. The filling for the "black dog" is pork, grilled taro, and black beans. Mexican scenes painted on the walls, hanging plants, and ceiling fans give it a let-it-all-hang-out atmosphere. MC, V.

Roy's Poipu Bar & Grill
Poipu Shopping Village, 2360 Kiahuna Plantation Dr., Poipu Beach, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-5000
$20 to $60
Poipu
Eclectic

Hawaii's culinary superstar Roy Yamaguchi opened his sleek Kauai restaurant in 1994, and it quickly became a mecca for fans of his Euro-Asian Pacific cuisine. Who but Roy would turn smoked duck into gyoza (Japanese dumplings) and serve the appetizer with star-fruit passion sauce, or team fresh seared opakapaka (snapper) with orange shrimp butter and Chinese black bean sauce? There are 15 to 20 or more specials nightly. Dark chocolate soufflé and volcanic puffed pastry are regulars on the dessert menu. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Shells Restaurant
Sheraton Kauai Resort, 2440 Hoonani Rd., Poipu Beach, Koloa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-1661
$20 to $60
Poipu
Contemporary

You'll hear the surf as you dine here on the lanai or inside the high-ceilinged restaurant. The dining room is lighted by big shell chandeliers salvaged after Hurricane Iniki, and the airy, tropical room has rattan furnishings that make it easy to relax. Menu highlights include crab cakes; rack of lamb with herb and hoisin crust; and fresh fish and prawns with spicy pineapple, baked sweet potato, Kauai slaw, and steamed rice. A great tropical topper is Mount Waialeale chocolate mousse cake with sorbet and fresh fruit, or a choice of desserts from the buffet. Adjacent is the Point, a lounge with an ocean view and outdoor seating for cocktails at sunset. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Surt's on the Beach
5-7132 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-0060
Under $40
Hanalei
Contemporary

Spacious and gracious with in-your-face views of breaking surf just beyond the Mexican tile floors, Surt's is Kauais northernmost restaurant. The attached Lava Vent deli provides fresh take-out sandwiches if you're planning to picnic on a hike to Hanakapiai Beach at the end of the road. French-Asian influences are found in entrées such as green curry pork and the lemongrass-grilled shutome (swordfish) steak sandwich, but there are also hearty Dutch steaks with potatoes and light lilikoi-mango tiramisu for dessert. AE, D, MC, V.

Tidepools
Hyatt Regency Kauai, 1571 Poipu Rd., Koloa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-6260
$20 to $60
Koloa
Seafood

The Hyatt Regency Kauai has three superb restaurants, but this one delivers the most tropical atmosphere. Dine in one of the grass-thatched huts that float on a koi-filled pond, and enjoy views of the romantic torchlit grounds and starry Poipu skies. A major advocate of Hawaii regional cuisine, which utilizes Kauai-grown products, the chef prepares fish with a variety of local flavors. Specialties include macadamia-crusted fish, prime rib, and filet mignon. AE, D, DC, MC, V. No lunch.

Tomkats Grille
5402 Koloa Rd., Koloa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/742-8887
Under $40
Koloa
Contemporary

This casual drop-in eatery keeps kids happy during lunch or early dinner hours with tropical ponds, a little waterfall, and a section of the menu geared to young tastes. Adults might pass up the PB&J for chicken marinara, barbecue pork ribs, a burger, or a Reuben accompanied by a glass of wine or a choice of 35 ales, stouts, ports, and lagers. Plenty of Tomkats' Nibblers - buffalo wings, stuffed mushrooms, jalapeño poppers - enliven happy hour from 4 to 6. DC, MC, V.

Wailua Family Restaurant
4-361 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa, HI, USA
Phone: 808/822-3325
Under $40
Kapaa
Eclectic

You can't miss this place: It's lit up like a Christmas tree with 25,000 lights hanging from the ceiling. You can order a 22-ounce prime rib and other entrées from the menu and have fun at the dessert bar, but buffets are the most reasonable at under $10 for either lunch or dinner. Kids can order Mickey Mouse-shape pancakes for breakfast, and the dinner buffet is stocked with something for everyone: soba noodles, poi, taco salads, and lomilomi salmon (massaged until tender and served with minced onions and tomatoes). MC, V.

Wailua Marina Restaurant
Wailua River State Park, Wailua Rd., Wailua, HI, USA
Phone: 808/822-4311
Under $40
Wailua
Eclectic

Dockside views of boats chugging along the Wailua River make this an ideal stop before or after a trip to the Fern Grotto. An open-air dining lanai is perched right on the water, next to shores where ancient Hawaiian communities once stood. For the large number of people it serves, the restaurant has a surprisingly thoughtful menu. Baked stuffed chicken is cooked in plum sauce and served with a lobster salad, and there's a good choice of steak, stuffed pork chops, and fresh seafood dishes. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Mon.

Waimea Brewing Company
9400 Kaumualii Hwy., Waimea, HI, USA
Phone: 808/338-9733
Under $40
Waimea
Contemporary

This Kauai brew pub fits the laid-back ambience of Waimea Plantation Cottages, where it is housed in a spacious, airy room with hardwood floors surrounded by open-air decks. Entrées served in two sizes and reasonable prices attract locals and visitors on their way to Waimea Canyon. Dine indoors amid rattan furnishings or at a bar decorated with petroglyphs and colored with Kauai red dirt. The chef turns out smoked chicken quesadillas, grilled Portobellos, hamburgers, kalbi beef short ribs, and fresh fish. It's a good place to pick up a picnic basket on the way to the canyon, or stop on the way back for a Waialeale Golden Ale or Alakai Stout and a little live music on weekends. MC, V.

Whalers Brew Pub
3132 Ninini Point St., Lihue, HI, USA
Phone: 808/245-2000
Fax: 808/245-6580
Under $40
Lihue
Contemporary

The view of the ocean and Kalapaki Bay is breathtaking from this spot known for its beer-battered fish-and-chips, 20-ounce burgers, deep-fried onion flowers, and handcrafted ales brewed in the gleaming tanks near the entry. But there's healthier family fare, too: Whaler's salad bar, island-style barbecue ribs with cole slaw, or mahimahi sandwiches with french fries. A 400-gallon aquarium adds to the ambience. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

Wrangler's Steakhouse
98-52 Kaumualii Hwy., Waimea, HI, USA
Phone: 808/338-1218
Under $40
Waimea
Steak

Wrangler's seems right out of the Wild West, with wooden floors and tables, denim-upholstered seating, and saddles and a stagecoach on display. Steak - sizzling and prepared with either garlic, capers, peppers, or teriyaki - can be ordered in a he-man 16-ounce size, but if meat is not your thing, opt for the fresh catch, scampi, or one of the Mexican entrées. Local folks love the kaukau tin lunch: soup, rice, beef teriyaki, and shrimp tempura served in a three-tier tin plantation-worker's lunch pail. A gift shop features local crafts, a deck out back allows open-air dining, and the adjoining Pacific Pizza and Deli has some of the most imaginative pizzas around. AE, MC, V. Closed Sun.

Zelos Beach House
5-5156 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, HI, USA
Phone: 808/826-9700
Under $40
Hanalei
Contemporary

Call the menu eclectic - what else could you say about its American-Italian-Thai-Creole leanings? The decor, however, is strictly South Pacific at this "beach-blanket bingo goes to the South Seas" kind of place. A bamboo bar, lau hala (pandanus leaf) mats on the walls, a kayak overhead, and Tahitian-print bar stools add to the fun - and the food is good. Burgers and burritos are served on an open-air deck. For dinner, large salads, fresh fish, pasta, steaks, and chicken pesto tortellini fill the bill. MC, V.