Ono bar grill Indian cuisine
About
A Taste of the Subcontinent on Kauai’s East Side
Finding traditional Indian cuisine in the heart of Kapaa provides a welcome shift from the typical island fare. Ono Bar & Grill leans into the aromatic profiles of South Asian cooking, serving up plates that cut through the humidity of the Coconut Coast. As you step inside, the immediate scent of toasted cumin and turmeric signals a kitchen dedicated to scratch-made curries rather than pre-packaged shortcuts.
The Experience
The space carries a relaxed, no-frills energy that fits the Kapaa lifestyle perfectly. It is the kind of spot where you can show up in board shorts after a morning surf and not feel out of place. The service is straightforward, and the interior avoids the overly polished look of tourist-centric dining, focusing instead on the heat of the pans. While the acoustics can get a bit lively when the dinner rush hits, it adds to the communal, bustling feel of the dining room.
Menu Highlights and Local Notes
The menu covers the essential bases of Indian comfort food. Patrons often gravitate toward the butter chicken, which maintains a creamy, balanced richness, and the garlic naan, which arrives hot, blistered, and dusted with fresh cilantro. If you are a fan of heat, don't hesitate to ask the kitchen to lean into the spice levels—they are more than capable of delivering a proper punch. One minor observation: parking in this section of town can be a bit of a dance during peak evening hours, so give yourself a few extra minutes to find a spot along the main strip. Whether you are looking for a hearty post-hike meal or a break from local poke bowls, this kitchen offers a distinct, flavorful alternative for anyone exploring the eastern edge of the island.
Amenities & Features
Location
4-947 kuhio Hwy, Kapaa, Hawaii, 96746
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Reviews
Showing 10 of 18 community reviewsKhushi PatelGoogle Maps
Recently
The food was….okay, if being honest as an Indian. Ordered Malai Kofta ($21) it was really sweet. Later went for Rajma ($21) and steamed rice (priced separately). The instant smell of Rajma while still in the pot was of some MSG stuff! Almost like some mixture of Chinese n dehydrated sabji heated up. Had garlic naan. It was good. Too overpriced but not worth the penny. Good people though!
JessicaGoogle Maps
Recently
Delicious and authentic Indian food, which is so hard to come across on the islands. Wish I could bring Ono Bar & Grill to O‘ahu, it was so amazing and service was great. LOVE that they have vegan options, including VEGAN naan. Absolutely amazing and perfect spice levels.
ChitrangGoogle Maps
Recently
If you're looking for the kind of North Indian food commonly found at Indian restaurants across the mainland U.S., this is probably the closest you'll get on Kauai. We ordered the Malai Kofta, Dal Tadka, garlic naan, and rice. The Malai Kofta was the highlight of the meal—flavorful and well prepared. The garlic naan and rice were good, while the Dal Tadka was a bit average compared to the other dishes. Is it mind-blowing Indian food? No. But for a place like Kauai, where authentic North Indian food options are limited, it's a solid choice and definitely satisfied our craving. The restaurant also offers a good selection of vegetarian options. A special mention to the owner, who was gracious and welcoming, taking the time to interact with customers and make everyone feel at home. That personal touch made the experience even more enjoyable.
Somya AroraGoogle Maps
Recently
The food is authentic, fresh and delicious! It’s the only authentic Indian restaurant in Kauai. We liked it so much that we visited twice! Their house made paneer is extremely soft. Pyaaz mirchi ki roti was excellent - no maida and still soft, light and fresh. We loved the panipuri as well, specially its filling masala and the pani itself which was so fresh, with mint and ginger flavors. Paneer tikka masala was also excellent, it felt more like shahi paneer but the flavors hit the note for us and paneer was really soft and made in house. Kadhai paneer and veg jalfrezi were also delicious though they have a similar base so I would get one or the other in the same meal. Samosa chaat was decent, but we felt it had too much chole. Mango lassi was also just okay, felt more like aamras. Service is quick. Wish they had an air conditioned indoor seating for the afternoon sun on the island.
DaveGoogle Maps
Recently
Loved the food. Surprised to find really excellent indian food on Kauai - surprised and very HAPPY.
Salvina LakhaniGoogle Maps
Recently
Good family run restaurant. We tried daal tadka and Chicken Vindaloo with plain regular & garlic naans. Food tasted like home, and was delicious.
Kae Fernandez-CruzGoogle Maps
Recently
Authentic Indian food! From what we got, I believe each dish can be shared between two people. Service was good and we didn't wait too long for our food to be served. Will definitely recommend this place.
vishal karnaGoogle Maps
Recently
Decent restaurant. Lemon rice and Yellow daal tadka was very good. Roti was very bad and seems stale or not cooked well. Paneer makhinin was fine. Quantity is large for each dish. They were overwhelmed with lot of people to serve. One strange thing they mentioned that we cannot order additional item once initial order was placed and insisted us to order on one shot. This is unheard of. May be due to holiday season. Prices are way too high. Overall they have a good menu. If you are in Kauai and would like to get Indian food then this is the only place I would recommend.
Pranay DesaiGoogle Maps
Recently
We were in mood for Indian food and went based on recommendation from a friend and this place was as advertised. Really enjoyed the food and definitely worth another visit. Paneer Tikka Appetizer - 3/5 (would have been better if they were marinated) Malai Kofta - 5/5 Palak Paneer - 4/5 Garlic Naan - 3/5 (thin and crunchy) Paneer Kulcha - 5/5 Pyaj Onion ki Roti - 5/5
Nemish SarvaiyaGoogle Maps
Recently
Served really good jain food (no onion no garlic).. We had Tomatoes basil soup, panner makhni & tadka daal all of it was really good. Also their Kashmiri naan, butter naan & onion roti was great.. They have no onion no garlic menu
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Frequently Asked Questions about Ono bar grill Indian cuisine
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