Scotty’s Beachside BBQ

We came here for breakfast. The food was good, but the price was even better. The wait staff was friendly, quick, and anticipatory. Don’t waste your time and money at the chain fast food joints, come here instead. You won’t regret it. Also, you get a great view of the palms and beaches. You feel the cool sea breeze caressing your body if you sit closer to the back. The 3G signal was very strong here so we hung hung around and did our FB and stuff.

Awesome pulled pork sandwich, great service FANTASTIC VIEW! Get the Fish Dippers as an appetizer and slam some BBQ sauce on them you won’t be disappointed. Mai-Tai’s are great too.

Best Mai tai on the island. I ordered the full rack on the recommendation of the chef, dipped into the spicy BBQ sauce, it was perfect. Excellent service too.

We went here right before happy hour ended at 5PM. The restaurant was fairly empty, and we were immediately seated. The food was OK, just OK. I had a burger, ordered medium but came out well. Burger cost 13 bucks. And the pitcher was 8.50 (regular is 16). (Note that the pitcher here only fills 3.5 glasses)
Notably they have 3 types of BBQ sauce on the table as condiments: sweet, spicy and mild. The spicy sauce was good, but it wasn’t nearly as spicy as I would like it.
They did have a nice open patio facing the ocean, which makes it a nice place to have a beer and look at the scenery.

Scott’ys was a disappointment — we should have known better than to follow the advice in the blue book, which was written by the owners.
At least our waiter was friendly and honest. The view was nice — that was the best part. I had called to see if there was anything vegetarian on the menu, and the guy who answered the phone said the salad bar, which he admitted was not a really great salad bar. Since the rest of our group wasn’t vegetarian and because we’d had such a hard time finding good places to eat, I said that it was fine if we went anyhow.
Luckily for me, they do actually have a veggie burger on the menu or else I would have starved. The salad bar was a joke, ice berg lettuce and little else. I skipped it. I did get a Mai Thai.
My sister and her husband weren’t overly impressed with their food. At least the BBQ sauce was good. The décor was outdated — this place could use a bit of a makeover.
Obviously, some of their staff needs to be better informed about their menu! I’d love to see a different veggie item on the menu — I love BBQ tofu and I love when BBQ places have it. Since the owners write the guidebook, you’d think they’d know that it’s good for business to have some veggie items on the menu!

We stopped here for lunch on our way back from the north shore with no real expectations – only hoping to dull our hunger pangs! My thoughts…
Service: Good. Waitress was attentive and our drinks never emptied.
Food: Just okay. With BBQ sauce, the pork was just alright – not too flavorful. My boyfriend remarked that it tasted as though they’d marinated it in sink water for several days, then threw it on the BBQ before serving it to us. I’m fairly sure that’s no compliment! The fries and loaded potato skins, however, were quite good.
Atmosphere: Okay, so it’s got a nice view (certainly not the NICEST – not comparable to several Waikiki or Poipu beach restaurants I can think of), but other than that… eek! The carpets, chairs, tables, etc., are clearly old, worn and overall yucky! The place could use a serious renovation STAT. I would have gone for the salad bar, had it not looked like a lost, dirty dark corner of death. The cherry on top was the ridiculous mom changing her toddler’s HIDEOUS diaper on the booth seat in plain view of EVERYONE! Seriously?! I was somewhat shocked that not a single staff member said anything to her. Gross.
Overall, I’d give this place a 2.5 – there are many better options for BBQ on Kauai.

Found this place wandering along the east side of Kauai.
A great place overlooking the beach and water.
Service was attentive.
I had the pork sandwich with slaw and my wife had the Mahi Mahi sandwich.
My pork was tender and the bread roll was excellent. I only at have the roll after eating the pork. They have some excellent sauces at the table. I tried them all and liked them all. Each had their own pluses.
The slaw was too watery. I thing they left it in the main bowl too long and everything drained. Looks like they scooped juice and all into the little cup without letting it drain. The flavors were good though.
The Mahi was excellent. Very fresh and juicy.
We would come back here again and so should you.

Oh Scotty’s, what’s happened?
We’ve been away from Kauai for a few years, but as with previous trips as soon as the plane landed and we had our rental car we headed to Scotty’s (this time for lunch rather than dinner). As with prior trips we get two full racks of ribs specifically to have leftovers.
The good news is the view is still nice. The ribs are still ribby and not smoked, but we know that going in.
But man, the place has turned into a full-​on dump. Seriously. The carpet is disgusting and likely the same from when the place opened. Many of the chairs have ripped seatcovers. Service was inattentive (water glasses went dry).
There’s no way Scotty’s deserves an «ono» anymore in the blue book. Sorry guys, but it ain’t what it used to be and there are way better places to eat for way less money.

(please take note that my girlfriend and I came into this restaurent after a 9-​mile hike and were famished)
We ordered the Bbq for 2! Boy, it was a lot of meet. The ribs were really delicious, the pulled pork was my favorite! Brisket was alright (although my girlfriend said it was her favorite), and the chicken was savory and delicious. On top of that they had great local beer with our food. Good food and great protein ;) They have 4 different options of bbq sauce and all of them taste great, especially the spicy bbq

Maybe I like this place because most of the other food we had was edible at best. At least here I got something that I liked, and it wasn’t too overpriced like every other place we seemed to stop into.
The first day we ate here we got the pulled pork nachos for an app and we each got the mahi sandwich for our meal. Had I waited until after we had tasted the nachos I would have ordered the pulled pork wich and called it a day, but lessons learned I guess. The mahi was fine, not dried out or overcooked at all, but we are at a BBQ joint, should have gotten the BBQ.
The next time we stopped in I did get the pulled pork sandwich and a mai tai, both of which were good. I like to drink and I got a buzz off of one drink which was a nice surprise. The husband got one of the local beers and the sampler plate #1. I tasted some of the brisket on his plate and that was good, I passed on the chicken and the rest was pulled pork and I think pork ribs. I wasn’t crazy about the beans, I like some good baked beans but these weren’t that great. I make way better ones at home. I really like their plum sauce, I think that was my favorite sauce but the others were good, I mixed the mild and spicy together. The corn bread muffin that came with my husbands meal was really good. It’s my understanding that locals don’t much care for cornbread, at least that’s what we were told by one, but I love a good cornbread and these were good.
I see some complaints about the food not tasting smokey. Well, for me that’s a plus, I hate the really smokey taste which I usually take as too much liquid smoke, I didn’t taste any of that here. It seems like reviews for most of the food places on the island are all over the place, and everyone’s idea of good food is subjective so take it for what it’s worth I guess.

I wasn’t impressed with this place. Partial owner is one of the famous «Blue Book» authors. It’s your basic BBQ joint, nothing terribly good or special. I got the sample plate, and it’s pretty much exactly what you would expect. The chicken was overcooked, the rest of it was just «meh.»
Decent beer selection.

Excellent!
We came back on our most recent trip. We went light, well as light as good BBQ can be, having the chili & rice and the chili & cornbread. Simply delicious. Of course, the Mai Tai is still beyond comparison.

We have been to Scotty’s a couple of times over the years now. The premier item on their menu, that is the best to try, is the pulled pork. They have a selection of about 4 different sauces to put on your pork, ranging from ketchup, to a spicy, hosin based pork sauce. I would suggest the sandwich, and not the dinner plate… you end up with a pile of pork only a giant could eat.
The view from Scotty’s is one of the best parts of the restaurant. It is right on Kapaa beach park, and you sit in an nice open dining area where you can watch the sun go down, over the water. It is fantastic, and romantic… although, I don’t think about eating a pile of pork when I think romance… so it’s a little strange that way.
They have a standard kid menu, with a cheeseburger, chicken fingers, grilled cheese sandwich, and pasta. Nothing special here.
One of the must-​try items there, which is going to seem like a weird suggestion, is the macaroni salad side. They make it from scratch, and it is really tasty.

NOW CLOSED AS OF ⁵⁄₂₀₁₃
The wonderful location is no excuse, nor substitution for the «lousy» bbq! The Ribs: over smoked/​overcooked with very little meal on them. The rest of their «sampler» was very uninspiring. Their bbq sauce selection is okay, and you are going to need them, as the meats are not very tasty at all.
Gosomewhere else for bbq!

Our first visit to Scotty’s was because it was the post-​wedding destination for everyone we went to Kauai with. The Bride and Groom chose incredibly well.
Prices are a touch high here (we noticed when we looked at the menu) but that’s the trend all over the island. Since everything was paid for by the wedding families, this review is more about the atmosphere and the food… THE FOOD!
It’s a cute little place, set up in 4 different tiers so everyone has a great view out towards the ocean. They advertise brews and whales, and while the beers are decent it was a bit early in the season to see many whales from their dining room. Locals say, though, that come January-​February you can see them pretty regularly. It’s a cute but simple décor, the dining room isn’t terribly large, but it’s definitely a good place to check out, as it’s one of the only places I found on the East Shore (that’s not at a resort) where you can get food and drink and look out towards the sea.
I chose the ribs for dinner, which far far far exceeded my expectations. A LARGE plate of ribs, probably a half rack plus a few. They were moist, painfully well seasoned, fell off the bone — just absolutely awesome. I never expected ribs that good anywhere on the island. It came with a side of beans and white rice (Kauai has a white rice fetish, I think) and all was delicious. The Mai Tais were a little spendy ($ 9) but the beers were good, ($ 4). Service was really great, as there was always someone around to clear a plate, get a drink, and really do everything they need to do to make people happy.
We stopped in a 2^nd time at the end of our trip just for a couple beers and a great view, and were not disappointed with more great service and a fun place to hang out.
I really can’t say this is the best place I’ve ever been or anything, but it was well above expectations. Scotty’s was great bbq, and a great beachside location!

The bbq isn’t bad, great location and view. Large portions. Not really as polished as they could be or perhaps think they are.
The beach view is simply the best you’ll find anywhere.
The brisket was pretty dry and lacked flavor.
The marinated chicken was really good, the ribs were on the greasy side.
The pulled pork was also on the bland side.
They advertise a breakfast buffet — I hope to go back and try it.

Second and third visits (yes, we like it that much!)
Second visit: We shared a Spinach Salad that was fantastic, with huge mushroom slices and an papaya poppy seed dressing — yum! Next, I had the Mahi Mahi grilled fish sandwich. Moist, tender, perfect flavor. Two thumbs up. Sean had the Sandwich Sampler, which came with four open-​faced sandwiches — BLT (they make the bacon), grilled chicken, beef brisket and pulled pork. He really loved it. All sandwiches come with fries, coleslaw or mac salad. We both got the fries — crispy and delicious.
With coconut cream pie in the menu — we went for it. Our forks were jousting against each other to get to the next bite. Definitely not to miss.
Third Visit: Early dinner. We shared the Coconut Shrimp (YUMMY), Sean had the combo platter and I had the Spinach Salad with Mahi Mahi on top. All delish! And, definitely go for the cornbread for your bread choice.
Scotty’s has 3 different BBQ sauces — sweet, mild and hot — and all are available for purchase.
The view is amazing from every table. One thing, it is time for a serious décor refresher at Scotty’s, from the bathroom to the paint to the carpet.

employee #1: «So do we open the garage doors?»
employee #2: «I don’t know. Did you check
;
employee #1: «I thought you checked it.»
employee #2: «Dude, I’ve been slaving away on some wicked good bbq sauce. You think my sticky fingers have been on a keyboard?
employee #1: «Who cares about
Looks sunny to me. Let’s open the doors up!
I didn’t overhear this conversation but this is what I thought might happen at Scotty’s right before the daily open. This bbq joint planned brilliantly by having huge glass roll up doors (along the same lines as a firehouse or an auto repair shop) serve as the oceanside wall of the restaurant. When we were there, it was a gusty day. While the doors were closed, we still had a great view of the adjacent beach park and the water. I can only imagine what it’s like when the doors are open on warmer days with gentle ocean breezes blowing directly into the dining area. Scotty’s also deserves praise for having the restaurant on the 2^nd story with a tiered table setup. Since patrons are sitting on different levels, almost everyone has a great view.
As far as the food and drinks, I had the sampler and enjoyed all 4 open face sandwiches (beef, chicken, pork, blt). My mac salad was just OK. Burgers as well as a fish sandwich are also available. Since the different bottles of bbq sauce are on each table, you can «sauce away» to your heart’s content. This was convenient because I couldn’t stop slathering on their spicy sauce. While some local Kauai beers are on tap, they also have bottled beer and cocktails. I tasted my friend’s Mai Tai and must praise the mixing abilities of the person tending bar that day. Not expensive but definitely pricier than your average lunch plate. I will definitely return next time I visit Kauai.

One of our best meals in Kauai! We got the BBQ sampler platter for 1 and coconut shrimp appetizer. Ironically the BBQ Sampler for 1 was perfect for two people, and we even had a little bit left over to store in our fridge for a snack. The pork ribs and beef brisket were the stars of the sampler, and the baked beans were especially top-​notch.
TIP: Go for an earlier dinner (5:30−6:00 PM) and beat the crowd. At that time, window seats are readily available and you can have a marvelous view of the beach.

Easily the best bbq on Kauai, although I’m not sure how much THAT says. We actually tried multiple times to come here before we actually got to eat here, so I think it was a little hyped up in our head. The first time, they had to close because the water was being shut off in that part of the town for some construction project. Another time we got there around 8:30 or so and they had already closed. And then they are closed on Sundays or Mondays, I forget which, so we finally got our Scotty’s on the last day of the trip.
I had the potato skins, served on baked potato HALVES (thought that was pretty cool) with pulled pork, bacon, sour cream, and cheeses. It sounded a little better than it tasted, because even with all those awesome ingredients, it was still missing just a little something. The bbq sauces they had did the job quite nicely.
My hubby had the pulled pork sandwich I believe and also found it a little better than passable. He liked the plum bbq sauce with it. We finished off with the GIANT piece of chocolate cake, which we didn’t finish but we’re also not big chocolate cake people either, we just wanted to try their «specialty» dessert.
I’m finding that I need to consciously rate my Kauai reviews relative to other Kauai reviews rather than my normal mainland reviews because food in general just wasn’t terribly exciting here. But Scotty’s has a great view, great service, decent prices, and I’d definitely come back on my next visit!