Postcards Cafe

There are several places that I think of when I reminisce about Kauai and Postcards Café is one of them.
My husband and I dined here out of recommendations from locals. They unanimously mentioned Postcards, so we figured it must be that good (and there are a lot of restaurants to choose from around them. We passed by it on one of our earlier visits to Hanalei and it seemed really beautiful and romantic. It’s not a far drive from Princeville (where we stayed), so we decided to have a nice dinner there on our final night of our last vacation there.
One of the things that the locals warned us is the wait time. So, yeah, expect to wait. I think my husband and I tried to reserve, but I don’t think they take reservations or reservations were full and they weren’t accepting anymore. Either one of the two. Kind of a bummer.
But we trucked on since this place was THE place to try at least once. Let me say, the food and service didn’t disappoint.
So like I said, my husband and I did wait a while, but, since we were visiting, we didn’t mind. It was quite nice to just talk to each other and observe the cool night while experiencing the light rain gently touches your shoulders. The waiting area is not big, so we kind of ventured out for a walk and got back a few minutes before our expected time.
We got a table in the patio area and it was soooooo romantic! It’s unlike any experience I’ve had before. It was quite magical with the ambient candlelights and the whatever we selected for wine. Which, by the way, I remembered that they had a great selection and the waitress we had recommended a a delicious one that really paired up well with our food.
As for the food, my husband and I remember it as being delicious! We had a seafood dish and it seemed like it was freshly caught and cooked. It was that distinct!
I’d definitely come back here again! This time, I’d like to try their breakfast or lunch. I see why the locals like it here.

Postcards is a delight! The server we had (Brook I believe) was extremely attentive and took great care of us. The food was delicious, all six of us agreed. Just be advised that they only do wine and beer.

This restaurant has been a special spot for my man and I for several years. We always schedule to have our Valentines dinner here, and this year we carried on the tradition.
Needless to say, as we expected, it still did not fail to disappoint. Food, service, and service are all fantastic here. The quality of the food and fish is amazing, local and fresh and prepared with love. Of all the restaurants I have visited on the island, Postcards always is my favorite.
This past visit was the best of all, shout out to our server, Jocelyn — she went completely above and beyond for use. A coworker mentioned that they call her «mama» at the restaurant, and I see why. When our entrees came after enjoying some beverages, (sesame ahi for my love and wasabi crusted ahi for myself) beautifully presented I couldn’t wait to dive into that fish! But once I did I was so disappointed to see that it was over cooked. Usually I would not mention anything, but our server asked and I mentioned it was good but my ahi was cooked a bit more than I would have liked. She quickly picked up my plate and apologized saying that she would bring out a fresh plate. She then brought out a second plate that was the most perfect and delicious ahi I have ever sunk my teeth into. My man was so into his dish as well, and he isn’t even a big fish eater.
We finished we an incredible chocolate soufflé dessert and was just perfect. I also have had the chocolate pie in the past (gluten free and vegan) and it is out of this world. Also, be sure to order fresh baked bread with the macadamia nut butter — simply amazing.
I look forward to next year returning for our tradition and for the many years to come.

Went in with high expectations, but was disappointed. Over the course of a weeks stay, we tried many of the restaurants in Hanalei – we liked this the least. Expensive menu with limited choices, which was furthered by running out of their fresh fish options by the time we were seated. Service was good, though. Not a disaster by any means, but not a favorite on our trip.

My family and I have eaten here twice and each time it was excellent. Last night we were three adults and two kids (4 & 7). We arrived just prior to our 5:30 reservation, and were seated promptly. Within minutes they had brought our kids bread to assuage their hunger, and our entrees came within 15 minutes. My Wasabi encrusted Ahi was excellent, and my wife lived her Ahi salad as well.
Our server (a beautiful blonde woman whose name escapes me now) was lovely, efficient and professional.
I know they get very busy as the night progresses so an early reservation makes good sense.
I can heartily recommend this oasis of culinary couture in an otherwise food challenged town.

I really never write negative reviews, but I am sorry to say, I cannot recommend Postcards in Hanalei. We arrived around 6:45 without a reservation and they were able to seat us for a table of 3 within about 20 min. Great. Well, from there the food and the service went south — the food took well over an hour to come out and when it did, the Ono fish was massively over-​cooked. That poor fish didn’t have a molecule of moisture left in it. Then desert took another 45 min.
Look, I get kitchens have bad nights. Fine. But at least apologize and acknowledge the situation instead of ignoring us. For over $ 150 for three people with no appetizer and 2 desserts, we deserve better.
I did give them an extra star because the location and décor are ok.

One of the worst meals I’ve had on island. Last night took friends to my «favorite» restaurant to celebrate. Unfortunately, the food and the service were a complete disappointment.
To start, it took about 45 minutes to get our food. Ok, busy weekend night, I get it. When it finally did arrive, my monchong was so over cooked it was inedible. Flagged down the waitress and without an apology, she took it back to the kitchen. Brought me another plate and it was better, but after I took a few bites, found that the center was completely raw. I cook better fish than this! And the sides were a small scoop of flavorless mash potatoes, some uninspired vegetables and a smear of good carrot purée with ginger.
A portion of my friends lobster was also raw, their asparagus was so over cooked it barely held its shape and the sauce was luke warm.
But here’s an even more disturbing part. I took up the raw fish, raw lobster and soggy asparagus to the front and explained to someone that our meal was sub par and the first thing out of his mouth was «well you ate it». I explained I wasn’t trying to get free food, I’ve been coming there for years and was thoroughly disappointed and thought they should know. He tells me they had a staffing problem, he didn’t know what to say and he didn’t want to tell the «chef» now because he was already slammed. «I guess I could give you a free dessert.» I passed.
Wow…lets just say I don’t think that’s how you should handle the situation.
Very disappointing meal, disappointing service and I won’t be back.

We all had the wasabi crusted ahi and loved it. Nice ambiance. New place that will do well.

Had Wasabi encrusted Ahi, food was delicious. Cute and cozy little atmosphere. I’ve heard mixed reviews about Postcards but we had a good experience.

Seafood app for 2 is okay, more fried stuff than I’d expect for $ 24…
Roasted beet salad for $ 14 is good but small, comes with about ¹⁄₈^th of a beet in quantity and a wad of goat cheese. Would be way more convenient if it was dispersed throughout the salad by the kitchen.
Seared wasabi Ahi plate was very good, but $ 38. Came with some rice, carrot purée, and veg.
I cook a fair amount and enjoy it… so I can honestly say I could recreate the salad and ahi portions of this meal for maybe $ 12 at home.

This place has a great ambiance. Very homey and in an old plantation house. Can’t go wrong with either the porch or indoor seating. The porch has a net. Our lovely waitress also gave me an organic mosquito repellent just in case.
Got the seafood pasta (not sure if they will chance menu for the seafood by the time you read the review). By far, the best we had in Kauai. The noodles were al dente. The shrimp was juicy. The fish (monchong, tuna) was tender and also had some good bite to it. Perfectly balanced with the use of goat cheese and other spices (pesto?) as the sauce.
Dessert, which was the chocolate pie, was just ok. It’s heathy, so that counts for something…

This was our favorite meal on Kauai.
We ordered a the appetizer platter and it was quite delicious.
The marlin, which was the fish of the day, was excellent. The mashed taro was incredible.
The lobster was a bit overcooked, but still good.

Just ok. Everyone raves about this place but we found it’s good, not great.
Ambiance: nice Hanalei vibe. Lots of older, senior clientele.
Service: very good, attentive, friendly
Food — we did tapas style (5 appetizers)
Beet salad — good, not great
Mac bread and butter — yummy! A+
Crab cakes — two small bite sized pieces with a too-​sweet sauce. Liked it.
Polenta — unremarkable
Tapenade plate (olive, baba ganoush, walnut?) seriously tasted like it came out of a jar, skip this
Overall still enjoyable. Wish food was better.

I LOOOOVVVEEEE this place. Seriously. It’s so, so, so good. We saved it for our last night in Kauai, and, if that island doesn’t make you sad to be going home in the first place, this restaurant will do it. When we left our hotel, the valet asked where we were going. We told him, and the whole group of valets started going on and on about how much they love this place. They gave us a whole bunch of recommendations for stuff to try, and we tried it all. My only regret is that I couldn’t stuff more mood into my gullet.
As a main course, I had the ahi. Probably the best ahi I had in a restaurant in Kauai. Then, there are the poke balls. Oh. My. God. I can’t even remember what my wife, except that she didn’t want to share.
The service was very good, too, and the décor is so nice. It’s like a comfortable beach shanty, tastefully yet casually decorated. Oh, I love this place.

Made reservations for a group here to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday. I’d read a lot of reviews and had pretty high expectations.
The ambiance and décor is very quaint. There is one main dining area that very much feels like the inside of someones cottage, old pictures are hung, exposed wood beams, and dim string lights are strewn. The menu is pretty small, but it also didn’t help that they were out of about three different items when we were there. There isn’t a full bar, just beer or wine (slightly limiting selection even within those options). Service was okay, she was very friendly but moved a bit slow even though the restaurant was nearly empty. Our food was all okay, but no one was blown away.
My favorite part of this meal was the homemade bread and butter they served before the meal.

Best fancy meal of the trip.
Our server (Megan) was a delight. Always smiling and always friendly, really looked for us to enjoy our time at Postcards.
For appetizer had the seafood platter for two.
Everything on that plate was delicious. Crabcake was excellent, as was the seafood wrap. The seared ahi tuna was perfectly executed and provided a good omen for the fish to come.
For dinner had the Wasabi Encrusted tuna and grilled monchong
Tuna –Medium rare, just the way it should be. Had the wasabi crust which would provide that kick every bite, and the crunch from the panko added to the texture of that the soft medium rare tuna. Fish definitely shined. There’s a reason why they call it their specialty.
Monchong — Megan described it was mix between the ahi and a halibut. And she was right. Moist throughout and also had the hardiness where it wasn’t flaky. I initially ordered the pineapple sage sauce to it. However, Megan wanted me to try the macadamia nut butter so she proactively asked the chef for it on the side. To our surprise, the chef put the butter on the fish and the sage sauce on the side… Definitely was the right choice. A happy accident. Butter was much better and complimented the monchong perfectly.
There nothing not to like. Service was on point. Seafood was the shining star, and it spoke for itself.
This is a I’d come back kind of place.

The Postcards Café is a quaint, warm restaurant with friendly staff and a welcoming atmosphere. With that being said, be sure to call ahead for a reservation and specify if you prefer to be seated outside.
For drinks, we had a pitcher of sangria. The sangria had a bunch of fresh pineapple, something I’ve never had in sangria, which I recommend you try if you’re with a group. We had the bread as an appetizer as well which was rye with a number of herbs. Again, something I’ve never had (and wish it was given for free). I would recommend the bread if your group can’t come to a consensus on something else or wants to get some cheaper appetizers.
I’m not a big fish fan, and I still had a great meal. The sombrero, which I ordered, was like a vegetable lasagna. I’d order it again, but ask for less onion. I felt like I ate half of one.
The Postcards Café is expensive, but not necessarily more so than other fish restaurants on the island. I hope you’re able to give it a try.

We were at Bar Acuda last night where the ambience was sexier, but the food here at Postcards blows Bar Acuda out of the water. Unfortunately, the bill just ended up being more pricey than we expected, even though we ordered neither drinks (except a $ 9 glass of wine) nor dessert and they didn’t serve us any amuse-​bouche or complimentary bread either.
—- APPETIZERS —-
Postcards Platter: 4.5 stars
For four. Hanalei Taro fritters, Crab cakes were tasty, seafood-​filled rockets with coconut curry, served with pineapple chutney and sort of pickled kimchi salad
Seared ahi tuna with wasabi mayo was so delicious. Seafood rocket reminded me of a deep fried dimsum dish, stuffed with springy fishcake or crab ball.
Portobello Mushroom: 3.5 stars
Tasty, stuffed with cheese and other veggies.
—- MAINS —-
The Tandoori: 4 stars
They say they’re Indian-​inspired, but more Japanese curry peppery, vegetables cauliflower and sweet potato were really good
Thai Coconut Rice Noodles with Shrimp Broth: 4 stars
Big portion (especially after the platter), real glad I shared this main with my partner. Came with kale and kaffir lime leaves (which we barely tasted) in a slightly spicy curry gravy broth… not really enough liquid to call it a soup or broth.
Fresh catch of the day: Opah: 3 stars
(Moonfish) Got this blackened with peppered pineapple sage sauce. Tough and dry, tasted kind of like swordfish maybe because we ordered it blackened?
Fresh catch of the day: Monchong: 5 stars
(Sickle pomfret) Got this grilled with macadamia butter. Super moist and tender
Sorrento: 2 stars
This was a seafood pasta swimming in a Chèvre Chardonnay sauce so overpoweringly creamy and cheesy, between the 6 of us we could not finish it.
Warning: Automatic tip for parties of 6 or more is 20% POST-​TAX so it’s 21% built-​in, which can really add up.
Quality of food: 4.5 stars
Ambience: 3 stars
Value for money: 3.5 stars
Overall rating: 4 stars

Postcards Café is a tiny restaurant right before the Hanalei shopping areas. We came here for dinner expecting great things since we read so many good reviews. The interior is cozy, with a few handful of small tables. Service was pretty slow at 6pm, even though there weren’t many patrons in the restaurant.
We ordered the platter for two and the thai coconut rice noodles. The platter was decent. The crab cake was good, as was the tuna. The taro wasn’t that good, nor were the rockets. The thai coconut rice noodles were just okay. The broth was tasty, but I thought it was simply overpriced for what you receive.

01.15.15
It was our last night visiting Kauai and we had finally made our way to the north shore. Postcards came enthusiastically recommended by a coworker, so I had to check it out.
I have to frame this review through my state of mind that night: I was exhausted (from vacation, I know…) and too hot to be hungry. I was irritated by all my mosquito bites. There was not much that could have elevated my mood.
We were seated right away with our choice of seats (indoors or in the lanai). We chose a table inside by the window, and ordered some Kona Brewing beers and an appetizer: crunchy seafood-​filled «rockets» with coconut curry. Give that a try. You won’t be disappointed.
They’re know for the wasabi crusted ahi, so of course the boyfriend snagged that to order. I was almost out of the mood for fish, but ended up ordering the sorrento — a seafood pasta dish. Don’t get me wrong — the dishes were delicious, and the portions hearty. But after what seemed like an eternity of bites, it did not look like I put a dent in my plate. To go it is. And almost as good the next morning out of the fridge.
Great place for a quiet dinner, away from the glitz and glam of resorts on the island. True to their name, they give you a postcard with your bill!
Total damage for two: $ 105

Los noodles estaban muy condimentados y el pescado del día con matequilla de macadamia muy soso; la atención es buena y el lugar es acogedor