There’s no question that Tidepools is one of America’s most romantic restaurants. Daniel Lane photo.
In Dec. 2015, more than five million OpenTable.com reviews placed Tidepools, at the Grand Hyatt Kauai in Poipu, as one of the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America. It’s easy to see why. The thatched-roof restaurant is in the middle of large pools, which reflect sprays of fuchsia bougainvillea. A waterfall and swaying palm trees are amid the lush surroundings. Sitting in wicker chairs on a raised platform, you feel like your floating in a gentle tide pool. Koi fish swim lazily in clear water that curls with the kiss of easy trade winds. When you add in the fact that the South Shore is one of the best places on Kauai to see a spectacular sunset, you’ve got an exceptionally enchanting restaurant. But don’t go just for the romance.
Poke Duo is a fresh take on the ubiquitous poke tower. Daniel Lane photo
The Poke Duo is a fresh take on the ubiquitous poke tower. A ring of tender ahi sits on jasmine rice that’s seasoned with a soy-mirin sauce. A tempura onion ring is placed on the ahi, which is topped with garlicky cubes of hamachi and flurry of slivered Maui onions, micro greens and tobiko sit on top. The perfect bite is a delightful combination of tastes and textures.
A Tidepools’ classic is the fresh opah with jumbo-lump crab meat, roasted fingerling potatoes, snow peas, shiitake mushrooms, papaya-habanero sauce and balsamic drizzle.
New York Steak is served with sautéed onions, Lawai Valley mushrooms, roasted fingerling potatoes, steamed broccolini, and a Longboard Lager reduction. Daniel Lane photo
The New York Steak is flavorful, juicy and tender. It’s served with sautéed onions and Lawai Valley oyster mushrooms, roasted fingerling potatoes, steamed broccolini, and a silky Longboard Lager reduction.
The Tidepools creme brûlée is garnished with poached pineapple, crystallized ginger and toasted coconut. Again, a delightful combination of tastes and textures.
Watching the sun set over the ocean and the koi throw ripples in the water, it’s hard not to drink in Kauai’s beauty. Tidepools reflects that timeless Hawaiian allure and there’s no question why it’s voted one of America’s most romantic restaurants.
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Tidepools
Located in the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
1571 Poipu Rd, Koloa, HI 96756
808-240-6456
http://kauai.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/Tidepools.html
No one pays us to be featured on our blog, book, app or tours. It’s just our professional opinion! All images copyright Daniel Lane/Pono Photo. For more information, visit www.PonoPhoto.com.
Yeah – not so romantic when we tried to plan our 20 year anniversary there. We were married on the property and took everyone to dinner at tide pools. When we were planning our 20th we reached out to them months in advance asking to book the table in the hale put in the water and were told that would be $200.00- not as a guarantee against what our party ordered. Nope this was a nonrefundable, not credited fee just to sit at that table. I then asked them how much was the table by the waterfall, or the table nearest to the bathroom – yeah they were very quiet. Needless to say we went somewhere else. I’m not enamored of a property or restaurant that is all about profit and has zero aloha.
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