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We are a small establishment with a 30 seat capacity. Reservations are accepted. Reservations are highly recommended. Reservations are encouraged. Originally opened in 2018 at The Shops at Kukui’ula in Poipu. Re-established in 2021 in the old Matsuura store in Lawai, Hi. Kiawe Roots is reminiscent of the days when ‘ohana (family) and friends get together and “cookout”. Served with a modern flare, we bring forth tastes from our childhood past mixed with food we’ve grown to love through our cultural and culinary experiences. Taste the ono (delicious) food grilled over Kiawe, Hawaiian for mesquite.
Laid-back eatery serving a hybrid of local Hawaiian & Texas mesquite-smoked meats, salads & sides.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 2-3687 Kaumualii Hwy, Lawai, HI 96765
Phone: (808) 855-5055
Website: https://www.eatatkiawe.com/
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Kiawe Roots – Temporarily Closed
Kiawe Roots is closed. Please continue to enjoy a few of your favorite Kiawe Roots dishes at Break + Feast at Koloa Village. Catering is still available …
@kiaweroots closed its doors in Lawai, but we’re still … – Instagram
From the very beginning, Kiawe Roots is more than just food. It’s about family, culture, and community. We’re beyond grateful for everyone who …
Kiawe Roots (@kiaweroots) – Facebook
Local flavors from the islands 2. Award winning dishes 3. Art by Hawaii based artists 4. Local family owned 5. Craft cocktails . . . #eatatkiawe …
Reviews
David
Hands down the best restaurant we ate at in Hawaii. Super small, hole in the wall, elevated dining. The food was fabulous and the service was great. The coffee is served in individual French presses, which is a nice touch. We got there at the right time, there wasn’t any line around 8:30am but by the time we left it was getting packed. Make a reservation!
… moreMonique Roddy
We found this place in our Rough Guide and the six of us showed up for dinner. Need a reservation! So we made one for a couple of evenings later at 4 pm and came back for a great dining experience. They could accommodate very few walk-ins because of the small size of the dining room, but it was worth the wait. The choices are great for meat-eaters as well as vegetarians. I tried the tofu bowl and it was delicious – the tofu was well marinated. I would have loved some more greens in there, it was just rice, two grilled squash, and the tofu, but it was well flavored. The pesto on the Med was delicious. The Brussel sprouts were amazing. The non-alcoholic beverage options were also great and tasty. Highly recommend!
… moreSunny Kuhlmann
First experience at this Lawai location and we had Breakfast. Amazing flavors, good service, and great ambiance. Menu has a good mix and variety of foods to choose from. We actually had trouble deciding what to get but ended up with their Lilikoi Pancakes, the Green Chile Skillet, and the Loco Moco. Soooo Good!! It’s not a very big place inside, but would totally be worth the wait if there’s a line. Will definitely be back! Want to try their lunch and dinner options next time.
… moreK C
It was good. We had 7 in our party. The huli huli chicken was about a 4. The herb shrimp bowl was a 3. The shrimp was a bit overcooked. The loco moco was a 3. The eggs were slightly over cooked with hardly any yokes and hamburger was overcooked. Sunrise pulled pork was interesting. Da shredder had hardly any flavoring from the pulled pork. The Portuguese sausage was interesting and over powered the flavor in this sandwich. Potato salad like mainland style not local style. The Dad’s Chicken was very good. Should make a dinner plate with this chicken. Total 3.5 stars. Service wasn’t that tentative. Had to ask for soda refill. If you have to ask for a refill then that’s not paying attention. The place wasn’t that big too. Had probably about 20 total, 3 separate parties. Not like had 50-70 people and was banging. Maybe as Kauai action but if you going pay the big bucks for dinner we as customers expect the service. Don’t expect a 20% tip if you not going at least be attentative to your guests.
… moreAaron McAnelly
Best food on the island. We have been to dozens of places and this place was awesome! Our party of 6 ordered 6 different meals so we could try them multiple things. All 6 entres were amazing! I personally don’t like Bloody Mary’s, but a friend who gets them all the time said this was the best one she’s ever had. The service was great as well.
… moreKayla Drewry
We got lucky with a table for breakfast shortly after they opened. They have a very small dining area so call ahead for reservations or order take out. The avocado toast was phenomenal and the lilikoi pancakes were fluffy and buttery. We’ve also had their fried chicken and smoked meats before. Never been disappointed!
… moreTiffany Gunawan
Casual dinner spot that truly hits the spot! We had the wasabi crusted fish and the pulled pork, both of which were fantastic. the fish was really fresh while the lilikoi sauce on the pork was quite unique! Our server was also very friendly they were out of the huli huli chicken while we were there but would love to go back for that
… moreJonathan Murata
Kiawe Roots is a local favorite, must go to restaurant now located just off the highway in Lawai. They offer amazing modern twists to island style dishes. Easy for pick up meal but very much a treat to dine in. Prices are fair, dishes are unique and quality is high.
Drinks – The Trace of Sour was an absolute treat. When often all that is offered is more touristy “island style” drinks its very refreshing to have something different. The single barrel Buffalo Trace bourbon definitely shined and name another place on island where egg white is used in a drink (don’t let that scare you, just try). I had several. The rest of our party tried the Black Hawk & Kamikaze Smash. Both received good reviews. For any non-alcoholic drinkers the Kauai Organics Hibiscus Olena Tea (a mouthful to say) was very delicious.
Pupus – Every meal should start off with a tasty appetizer. The Fried Brussels Sprouts are something we almost always order. Based on the online menu it looks like it’s only available on Friday so if you go on a Friday you should get this! Our table also heavily recommends the Kiawe Chips. We originally ordered 2 but upped the order for 1 more after the first two disappeared quickly. The chips come with a white BBQ dipping sauce that complimented them perfectly.
Entrée – You cannot go wrong here. Our table had Wasabi Pea Crusted Fish, Kalbi bowl, and smoked plates of Huli Chicken, Brisket, & Prime Rib. The Kalbi (beef short rib) bowl is the favorite of our group. This often gets ordered. Kiawe knows how to smoke and the Chicken, Brisket and Prime Rib were all amazing. The Pepper quava sauce was a favorite choice. For fish lovers they have the Wasabi Pea Crusted Fish dish. The spice was noticeable but not at all overpowering. Very nice dish.
Quick To-Go Picks – My quick To-Go picks would have to be the Crispy Pulled Pork Sandwich or the Kalbi Bowl. The sandwich hits the spot and the Kalbi is a favorite for both dine in our out.
Parking – Unlike most places on island, parking here is very easy. Both in front of Kiawe and next to the Lawai post office you will find plenty of spots.
… moreDrinks – The Trace of Sour was an absolute treat. When often all that is offered is more touristy “island style” drinks its very refreshing to have something different. The single barrel Buffalo Trace bourbon definitely shined and name another place on island where egg white is used in a drink (don’t let that scare you, just try). I had several. The rest of our party tried the Black Hawk & Kamikaze Smash. Both received good reviews. For any non-alcoholic drinkers the Kauai Organics Hibiscus Olena Tea (a mouthful to say) was very delicious.
Pupus – Every meal should start off with a tasty appetizer. The Fried Brussels Sprouts are something we almost always order. Based on the online menu it looks like it’s only available on Friday so if you go on a Friday you should get this! Our table also heavily recommends the Kiawe Chips. We originally ordered 2 but upped the order for 1 more after the first two disappeared quickly. The chips come with a white BBQ dipping sauce that complimented them perfectly.
Entrée – You cannot go wrong here. Our table had Wasabi Pea Crusted Fish, Kalbi bowl, and smoked plates of Huli Chicken, Brisket, & Prime Rib. The Kalbi (beef short rib) bowl is the favorite of our group. This often gets ordered. Kiawe knows how to smoke and the Chicken, Brisket and Prime Rib were all amazing. The Pepper quava sauce was a favorite choice. For fish lovers they have the Wasabi Pea Crusted Fish dish. The spice was noticeable but not at all overpowering. Very nice dish.
Quick To-Go Picks – My quick To-Go picks would have to be the Crispy Pulled Pork Sandwich or the Kalbi Bowl. The sandwich hits the spot and the Kalbi is a favorite for both dine in our out.
Parking – Unlike most places on island, parking here is very easy. Both in front of Kiawe and next to the Lawai post office you will find plenty of spots.
Ben Slivka
Wow. We had the Farmer’s Salad, Chicherone, and the smoked meat (beef and pork two ways) sampler. Huge portions of exquisite food. I had IPA which went nicely!
… moreKyle Rains
The most incredible food we had during our 14-day stay in Kauai. Before we left we made reservations to come back the next day for dinner again. The Smoked Cheese Pasta was a great starter on the train of deliciousness. The smoked Gouda is the star but you can get hits of the Parmesan as well. The Med was suggested to my wife to try from our server. The excitement in my wife’s eyes with each bite! I choose the Wasabi Pea Crusted Fish and that dish blew my mind. As you worked through each bite, a new flavor would appear. And then the next bite some new flavor I wasn’t expecting. This is a must visit even if you have to drive an hour from the North Shore. Like I mentioned at the beginning, we made a second reservation for the next day to try more food. Simply incredible! A must visit!
… more