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Hanalei Dolphin

Hanalei Trader Building, 5-5016 Kuhio Hwy., Hanalei, Kauai, HI 96714
808-826-6113
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Ranked #10 of 32 restaurants in Hanalei
Price range: S$25 - S$44
Good for: Local cuisine
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, Takeout, After-hours, Dessert
Restaurant details
Good for: Local cuisine
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, Takeout, After-hours, Dessert
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729 reviews from our community

73% Recommend
    295
    238
    99
    58
    39
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
1 review
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 May 2013 NEW

The 45 minutes we had to wait for a table was definitely NOT worth it. Even though the opah and the swordfish were outstanding, unfortunately, the service was horrible as was the bread, which we had to ask for.When trying to decide on one of the many fish dishes to order, our waitress was no help, she said " read... More

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sydney
Senior Contributor
34 reviews 34 reviews
26 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 24 cities Reviews in 24 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 May 2013 NEW

Excellent sushi bar super fresh next door to the fish market. Beer selection is also great. We had almost every single Nigiri available over a couple of nights and they were all exceptional...KNOCK YOURSELF OUT! (2 pieces per order) we had the following: Ebi - Cooked shrimp Unagi - Fresh water eel no wasabi Maguro - Ahi Ono - White... More

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See 3 more reviews by locosfc for Hanalei
Los Angeles, CA
Top Contributor
71 reviews 71 reviews
38 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 33 cities Reviews in 33 cities
74 helpful votes 74 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 20 May 2013 NEW

I will forever dream about this particular sushi concoction that at the time of our visit was unnamed. We named it ourselves and called it "Like Butta." It truly melted in your mouth. This chef special was two pieces of Hamachi that was drizzled with clarified butter and possibly seasoned with crack because we were addicted. It was so incredible,... More

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A small town in Northwest Washington
Senior Contributor
48 reviews 48 reviews
22 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 24 cities Reviews in 24 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2013 NEW via mobile

We got there before the dinner seating, but appetizers were available and good. Tenderized calamari and prawns were delicious. The Tahiti poke was different but great. The Mai Tai's were better and cheaper at other locations in town.

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See 3 more reviews by chumsockeyesalmon for Hanalei
Boston, Massachusetts
Senior Contributor
46 reviews 46 reviews
34 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 33 cities Reviews in 33 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2013 NEW via mobile

Stopped by for lunch with friends. It was raining on and off so we decided to wait for a table on the lanai. The do have nice seating on the river in the shade of big umbrellas. The food was pretty good. I had a calamari steak sandwich which you don't see every day. The fish chowder was out of... More

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Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
7 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 May 2013 NEW via mobile

Food was fresh and full of flavor. I had the house special teriyaki Ahi. It was perhaps the best fish dinner I have every had. Wife had the teriyaki chicken and our friend had the blackened swordfish which were both very good too. We had the spicy tuna roll which was OK but we are just spoiled by the poke... More

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San Francisco, California
Senior Contributor
39 reviews 39 reviews
21 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 24 cities Reviews in 24 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 May 2013

Very nice restaurant with very fresh seafood. I had the Ahi Cajun style and it was absolutely delicious. Great tropical cocktails as well. Friendly service. A very popular restaurant and gets crowded very quickly. Worth the wait.

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Eugene, Oregon
1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2013

This was in my top 3 of best sushi ever! It was so delicious and the staff was amazing! The location is great if you’re staying on the south side of the island, I suggest trying it. I had sashimi and a special lobster roll, they were both to die for, great time all around.

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Seattle, Washington
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2013

The food at the Dolphin is fine by local standards, but the sushi absolutely stands out anywhere. We have been many times and are never disappointed by the sushi...bring a fat wallet and bug spray since there are usually mosquitoes around dinner time.

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Kalispell, Montana
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
6 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 May 2013

We tired both their fish market which I would give 5 stars both for quality and service the fish was the best. The food in the dining part was very good but the service lacked. It was our 35th anniversary dinner and it didn't quite meet our expectations. The food, drinks were good. We will shop at the fish market... More

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