It's my 2nd time here and I am still blown away with the food they present... I ordered more food than I usually do, and I actually ate all of it, we didn't bring home any leftovers! This place make look like a regular fast food spot from the outside, but once u step inside, it's a whole new level of fine dining, Don't judge a book by its cover I would say. The waitresses were very attentive and explain a good amount of info if every single menu item! I love this place. Totally a recommendation for people who are looking for a great place to eat... Especially if they love fine dining like me!
(5)
Donald Kawika C.
I went there with friends to have dinner. We ended up sharing appetizers. 6 apps to be exact. They were so good that I need to go back for dinner and deserts! Great wine list and the service was spot on. I recommend the short rib with Vietnamese crepe, clams ( the sauce is off the charts good) and on the entree menu the miso butter fish. As I stated we shared apps but we also shared the fish! Go there with friends and enjoy the culinary journey. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Jeff H.
Fine dinning at its best on Kauai. Amazing food, and super friendly service from famed chef Josselin. If you like Josselin's Tapas Bar & Grill at Poipu, you will love JO2. Complimentary house-made root chips and dip was fun and exciting. The chicken dumplings with truffles were so flavorful. We had the butterfish & lamb chops. The butterfish was so moist and tender. Yum! The chops were perfectly grilled and the spices used were unexpected and delicious. Food was world class. Excellent job!!
(5)
New S.
Jean-Marie Josselin loves to include edible flowers in his cuisine. Although some people may consider this trendy and superfluous, he does it with restraint and flair, which enhances the flavors of the dish, rather than detract from it. This enhancement is demonstrated in the hamachi sashimi, which is fresh and flavorful, and allows one to still taste the fish. In addition, I recommend the butterfish, which is seared to perfection to give the fish a caramelized crust and a succulent flesh which goes down well with a glass of wine. Add to that an awesome service, and I tell you, this is the best restaurant on Kauai.
(5)
sarah T.
We almost didn't go to this restaurant because we felt we could get all the fancy food our hearts desires back in NY. We'd been keeping it super simple and local and it's been pretty great. However JO2 is beyond great. Every bite from each plate (appetizers too dessert) was a memorable experience. I eat faster when food is really good but at JO2 I had to eat slow to savor every morsel. The chef is a true artist.
(5)
J A.
A chef at another restaurant had suggested we check out JO2 and with the ample amount of vegetarian options- we put in a reservation immediately. The small restaurant seemed a bit stuffy when we walked and and through the meal it felt like there wasn't good enough ventilation in the kitchen. We ordered the hearts of palm ceviche, cauliflower and lentil wontons with tomato chutney, tempura green beans and the artichoke soup. Hearts of palm ceviche was light and refreshing- but was missing the fennel it was supposed to have in it. The wontons were good- the tomato chutney was the best part of the dish. The soup was awesome. A great summer soup because of the light broth and we loved the addition of gnudi. The string beans were a complete miss. The tempura fried green beans were topped with romaine lettuce, orange segments and fennel. This caused the string beans to become mushy and lose their crispness. The dish just didn't make sense.
(3)
Michael E.
This is a wonderful spot. I loved their scallop ravioli. Porkchop was delicious. Opakapaka was superb. It is a very small space but they are in the process of expanding so make sure you make a reservation. Say hello to Jean-Marie, chef who is a lovely guy. Make sure you try their vegetables, local and delicious. We loved their beef cheeks as well. Great experience!
(5)
Manuel C.
Deliciousness. Try the Seared Hawaiian butterfish, the Seared Hunan style rack of lamb, and the Seared Korean Style short rib. Make sure you get the taro chips with the aioli dip. Great, flavorful dining.
(5)
John P.
We're convinced there's some type portal in the parking lot of JO2 - on one side is kuhio hwy, the chevron station etc and then you step through the portal and you're in Vegas or LA or even Geneva. As you walk in you think "This is Kauai ?" This place is awesome for us isolated foodies stuck out in the Pacific Ocean. The food Chef Josselin cooks up is innovative, fresh and beautiful. As someone who shops for produce every week at the farmers market, I could recognize many of the flavors and ingredients as straight from moloaa farms. You could taste each component and the flavors were sublime and delicious. Service from Kelli was outstanding. Chef Josselin is right there cooking everything himself and is a gracious host for all who visit. I don't understand how yelps ranking system works, but I noticed JO2 didn't show up in my search of nearby restaurants - but it should be right at the top next to Hukilau lanai and oasis. No, it's not a 2 star Michelin eatery, but it has a lot in common with one, except price. A nice meal here (with sake) costs less than a single bowl of soup at Guy Savoy. It's not all truffles and caviar here - it's fresh ingredients, local produce, an intimate atmosphere - and that whole portal thing. Plus it's smack dab in the middle of Kapaa! Only bummer is it has been open a year and I just now am discovering it. Go.
(5)
Matthew F.
Every single thing we had was fantastic. The butter fish was mouth watering. The service was great. We will go back.
(5)
Ash M.
Thrilled that this place exists on Kauai! We went for my husbands birthday so we were a party of 10. The service was spectacular and the food was just killer! We will be back for sure!!! The scallop ravioli was melt in your mouth good and the butter fish was out of this world!
(5)
Torben F.
Decided to go here after reading a few reviews on Yelp. Excellent food and experience here. We sampled a number of small plates, and were surprised at the elegance and presentation of each. Very healthy and tasty food, a great place to go, and some of the best food available on Kaua'i.
(5)
Jay P.
I, personally, thought this place was overpriced and some kinks need to be worked out in order for me to return. My husband and I went there on our last visit to Kauai, and decided to try it as we love the idea of fine-dining on Kauai. Generally we just cook at home. #1--the starter (free) was just weird and didn't fit with the vibe of the restaurant. It was some sort of chips and some sort of dip. The chips nearly broke my tooth and the dip was just odd...I have no idea what it was. We didn't eat this. I don't know why anyone would. #2--Another thing that I think needs to be worked out is how orders are taken. We were told to order all at once and that the meal would be paced. However, our 2nd course came out too early and we had not finished our appetizer. We weren't in a rush. I'm not sure where the mis-step was, but seems that this is a no-no when you're paying premium prices for food. #3--The service was great overall in terms of promptness, but our server was a little clueless on a few dishes. He had definitely memorized the "schpiel", but when asked more direct questions, he didn't have answers. He also gave us bad information on dessert, served the desserts, apologized for it being incorrect, and then didn't comp the dessert. #4--need a place for people to wait. There was no "wait area" so people were just standing basically in the dining area....which is uncomfortable for those waiting AND those seated. Since it's Kauai, why not have some benches outside? Hmmm...???? On a positive note, the hamachi 1st course was probably one of the best dishes I've ever tasted. It was AMAZING, fresh, and so tasty. Hoping this place fixes a few kinks in the future.
(3)
Stephanie H.
Wow! We are so impressed by this sweet little gem. Everything from the decor, food presentation, food quality and service were amazing. The only down fall was another diner had a small child that was screaming the entire time and the parents with lack of parenting skills and consideration did nothing to hush their child nor entertain it. We complained several times to the staff. Eventually they were forced to kindly ask the parents if they could step out with their child. The restaurant and it's modern decor is beautiful as well as small so you could imagine what a screaming out of control child sounds like. Yikes! The entire restaurant at 5:30PM appreciated the silence. Thank you JO2 staff. OK so here's my review... For appetizers we shared the scallop ravioli which was to die for. We also had a kale and duck salad which was again awesome. For entree we shared the butter fish which was the best fish I've ever eaten! We also shared the beef cheeks were rich and oh so tender. Can't go wrong with any of these! And because of the rude family with the child from hell the chef was so kind as to send us (and every other table that had to experience the torture) a beautiful complimentary fruit platter with a coconut Panna cotta! Simply divine! Thanks JO2 for the exquisite experience!
JO2 is sensational! Celebrity Chef Jean Marie Josselin's newest creation immediately climbed to the top of fine dining choices on Kauai. His "natural cuisine" is unlike what you might imagine as "health-food". Instead it features organic, mostly locally sourced fish, meats, and vegetables infused with Pan Pacific/Asian flavors and techniques uniquely combined in extremely palate pleasing offerings. After our initial visit we returned several times to explore the quite varied menu further. Each time we were rewarded with exciting new tastes that were over the top excellent, yet still easily accessible to those who might approach non traditional dishes cautiously. Perhaps another way to explain it is; classic food ideas rearranged in more exciting and flavor packed ways. Having a famous chef pulling it all together is essential and that's what Chef Jean Marie does so seamlessly. For me it would be impossible to pick a favorite, so I will leave that pleasure up to you. Unsurprisingly JO2's wine list, designed to compliment the food, is worthy of another good review in its own right, but I will leave that up to you as well. Dress is smart casual of course, it's Kauai!
(5)
K S.
This was hands down the best food we had during our week on Kauai, and we had a lot of great food! All of the ingredients were fresh, the fish local, presentations beautiful, and the service was impeccable. Our courses were spaced out perfectly so we weren't rushed to eat it all at once. The pineapple gazpacho is not to be missed, the Oho melted in your mouth, and the wine list offered something to perfectly accompany everything on the menu. JO2 also offers plenty of vegetarian options, something remarkably hard to find on the island. The restaurant is small, so make a reservation.
(5)
Christina W.
Best dinner on Kauai! The decor was so modern and fun , our waitress was amazingly friendly and knowledgeable . The food: so many wonderful flavors ! The best salad I've ever had was the duck and kale salad! Looking forward to many more dinner dates here
(5)
Julie D.
Superb food! We had the lentil wantons, artichoke soup, tempura green bean salad and sesame crusted mahi. Everything was delicious and the service was excellent. Sharing dishes is encouraged so everyone gets a taste! Dessert was also wonderful. I recommend the deconstructed banana cream pie and the coconut panna cotta. We will definitely go back!
(5)
Fernando C.
Really good and creative food that's definitely made with love & passion. Forget about the Na Pali coast or Waimea Canyon...I'm jealous for not having this restaurant in San Francisco! Fresh ingredients perfectly combined resulting in dishes full of flavor -- elegant presentation and affordable prices.
(5)
Serena P.
I absolutely love this place! Amazing food. The food is fresh so if you really want to try everything on the menu I suggest going early and making a reso. It is really worth it. They start you off with homemade sweet potato chips and cold edamame, which is so tasty. Then I started with the artichoke soup. It was out if this world. Warm and savory. I will be ordering that again. And for the main entree had the pumpkin ravioli with a coconut sauce. They were perfect. Maybe too much of a garnish but you can easily take that off. And to finish, a lime crepe with homemade strawberry ice cream. I pair it all with their red French blend. It was the perfect meal. Perfect for a date night. The decor is chic and romantic. Reminds me of dining out in a big city. I think I found a new restaurant I must become a regular at.
My family and I have been here numerous times. Owner Chef Jean Marie Josselin never disappoints. Always a joy to have Kelly Joannes wait on us. Jeanee was wonderful also. Our favs are the Angel Hair pasta w/ prawns from Niihau (only when available in season), the seared Hunan style rack of Lamb (so meaty & not gamey), steamed Opakapaka "Chinatown Style", the slow cooked Wagyu Beef . . . goodness, just about everything we've ordered we haven't been disappointed yet! Do not miss the desserts!
(5)
Lehua B.
Chef & Owner Jean Marie Josselin has done it again with his Natural Cuisine Menu! We had dinner there 3 times in the last week and will go back again. Every dish was creative & oh so delicious! The Seared Hawaiian Butterfish with miso, sake, shiso heavenly. The Wagyu Beef is a must! The decor is bright and modern and good use of the space.
(5)
Adam K.
This place is absolutely amazing. We had the lamb, along with the bao, the crusted oyster and the sea urchin. Every plate was to die for. I would recommend to anyone I meet. And for dessert the banana cream pie was out of this world.
(5)
Melody S.
ATTENTION FOODIES This place is top of the list food most delicious service outstanding plenty of parking absolutely friendly professionally put together totally top notch a must
(5)
A W.
EXCELLENT! Friendly, great wait and table-bus service....never an empty water glass! The menu is a great eclectic mix that has plenty to satisfy anyone's appetite. Waitress was very friendly, helpful, and well-versed on the menu and specials. Our party of 4 went with some shared pupu selections....all tasty! (Alaskan Crab Meat Causa, Artichoke/Minestrone-style tomato broth preparation and a Mixed greens salad) Entrees selected were Seared Hawaiian butterfish (ONO-licious!), Wagyu beef cheeks (O-my-Goodness! awesome good), Pork tenderloin cheeks w/scallops, and grilled Hapu (seabass). Good portions and all cooked to perfection. Will be back to try some of the other menu offering that caught our eye (Tempura Ahi roll, Onion Soup Bao, and Green Beans Tempura to name a few.) Nice to have another great selection on-island, especially the eastside! A smaller-sized venue....more like the front section area at Roy's Poipu, but arranged nicely. Reservations help and using the Yelp on-line service provided text reminders of the appointment. No signage above the restaurant on the outside like some of the other businesses in the small complex. JO2's name is on the front windows and a little hard to see from the street.....keep looking for it though, the effort is well-worth it!
(5)
Jen S.
We love JO2! Everything we've ever had here has been excellent. Location is a little underwhelming but they more than make up for it once you're inside. Highly recommend!
(5)
mermaid m.
Horrible food.. We tried over half the menu. They were out of several items on the menu. Hostess had no clue. Waitress was sweet but too busy to attend to our needs. Chicken over cooked. Also had very bland flavor and no salt and very very dry. Took it home to my cat. Tempura green beans were so crunchy that it hurt my mouth chewing and the orange dressing was too sweet and served with a salad on top, which made part of the tempura soggy, which was ok in a way because the beans were too hard and crispy. Oysters were canned not fresh and tasted horrible so we didn't eat. We told our waitress and still paid for them when the bill came. Lamb over cooked and too sweet and no salt. All dishes seemed like they had sugar added and were too sweet for savory entrees. Lose the sugar in all your entrees, salads and side dishes. Chef must smoke cigarettes because they obviously can't taste what they are cooking The foie gras club bites were so tiny and mostly white bread with a sliver of foie gras barely could tell any was on between the 2 pieces of thick white bread!!! Really???? Menu is dated and belongs in the 80's. Nothing new nothing exciting. Sushi needs to go! We go to Kintaros for great sushi. Ahi poke tasted old and again no seasoning and somehow sweet side~ weird!! Too Asian of a menu with little flair, or creativeness. Everything is small dishes and expensive for the size of plates. So disappointing. The staff was a mess and unprepared. Not professional service to go with the prices. Menu needs to be thrown in a trash can and come back with half as much on the menu and maybe try to perfect a few good dishes rather than throw a zillion bad ones! Also create new menu items fresh local seasonal ~** All in all HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT!
(1)
Jow H.
Very disappointing food and even worse service. 2nd time and our last. Variety of courses were almost uniformly uninteresting and poorly executed. First time when it was newly opened honestly it was fabulous. Owner chef is moody and incredibly inconsistent however. Equally odd and rude local waitress was of opinion that if we didn't like it it was our problem. End of discussion. Save your money.
(1)
Courtney S.
Cauliflower wontons are excellent. Sashimi is great but should be thinner. Berry cobbler is delicious but should have three scoops of Gelato not one. Ono is perfection. Butterfish is amazing but could be the same size as the ono.
Amazing food with recipes having a twist. Best appetizer: grilled leek with goat cheese & an amazing sauce. Fresh fish over sauced vegetables and the deconstructed banana cream pie with gelato was amazing (gluten free!).
(5)
Karen E.
.Enjoyed a wonderful meal with Ace pineappe ale , onion soup ham hock bao and seared butterfish while hubby had the osso bucco and lobsster which was also delish topped off with chocolate gelato and haupiia dessert and coffee and baileys ... our server Leilani was awesome and informative and fun ... great intro to Jo2 .... we'll be back...the only negative is that I had called for a reservation earlier in the day and no one answered but was told to leave a message..so I did asking for a res for 2 at 530pm that evening and left my number...no call that day..so we showed up at 530 but apparently we had no res because the hostess put us in a non booth table while a couple ahead of us got a booth..the next day i got a phone call confirming our res for the that evening at 530..so i called back and said no no we had asked for a res the night before...hmmm maybe the hostess should pick up messages upon arrival so that they can get res requests for that day...just saying....thereby only 4 stars
(4)
Donna A.
An experience in eating. Unusual pairing, attention to detail, beautiful to behold. A long drive from Poipu but worth every mile. Go, eat, enjoy. Small, make reservations.
(5)
Angela L.
Excellent food.. excellent service. .. had reservations X 630 but had to wait until 715 to get seated without really a place to relax... But in their favor allowed us to sit at the table for a larger party til they arrived...glass of wine... good... they are so good and so busy. .they need a place for folks to wait and be comfortable. .. for being open only 6 weeks I must say they're doing an excellent job... The food really was extremely delicious and very professionally prepared ... Highly recommend... make sure you have reservations
(4)
Mark H.
Awesome food, great service. Would definitely visit again. The freshest sashimi and creative style. I wish I had been to this restaurant in the beginning.
(5)
Tom R.
Excellent, simple but creative food. Terrific, attentive service. A relaxed yet elegant vibe. A little pricey given the small portions, but I'd go back in a second. The best meal we had on Kaua'i.
(5)
Julie S.
We went here on our last day on the island. I'm so glad Roy's was booked because this place is a gem. The food, atmosphere, and the service was exceptional. Next time I'm back here on the island, I plan to return.
(4)
Judith R.
We just finished our second dinner here in the last three days. This restaurant is hidden in a strip mall in Kapaa. Behind the uninspired strip mall decor is an elegant gem of a restaurant. Tonight, we decided this was the best meal we've had in years anywhere-mainland or Hawaii, or even farther afield. As a patron, we were greeted heartily and warmly welcomed. The wine list is excellent and as we studied the menu, the waitress answered all our questions and gave us endorsements for the various starters and dinners. The salmon belly was superb, the ono with seafood risotto delicious, and tonight the butterfish was the best we've ever had. The green bean tempura could convince us to become vegetarian. Do not miss this restaurant. Msr. Josselin has outdone himself.
(5)
Sharon G.
I'm a little torn as to if I should write a review. However I feel it necessary as the service and atmosphere seemed mediocre, unlike what I'm used to at Josselin establishments. On March 1st a group of 9 women set out for a lovely Girls Night Out at the newest Restraunt in town. Totally excited we show up, one by one strolling in, only to find out that the Restraunt did not have our reservation. I would like to give a huge props to the hostess that evening for staying on top of her position and keeping us as informed as possible. Come to find out they had changed reservation books and somehow forgotten to switch over this large party. The hostess did keep notifying us of how they would rectify the situation. At one point, someone who seemed to be a manager or head waiter even came to us and said they would comp something. 20 minutes after our reservation time we were finally seated. Yes I know that's not too long, however it is long when you've got a large party and can clearly see no seats available inside. Finally seated portions were small, staff seemed irritated with our large party, and not one thing was comp'd on our bill! On top of that we were told we couldn't order by the glass and then about 15 minutes towards the end of the night the waitress says oh yea we can order by the glass. First and last time I'll be supporting this establishment.
(2)
S E.
Small portions, High Price, but everything tastes phenomenal. The food is also extremely beautiful when served. You almost don't want to eat the art. Excellent wait staff. Knowledgeable and exuberant about the food. Water glass never even half empty. I can't say the same about coffee during dessert. This is a place to go for special occasions. Because the food was so good I did not take any stars off for the following: Location is in a strip mall. Outside does not look like much, but inside is nice. This seems like a place that should have a nice view - of course then the prices would only go up!! Seating in the booths is not very comfortable for eating. I had to sit forward to be able to reach the table and eat.
(5)
Monica C.
Even better than Josselin's Tapas in Poipu. Chef Jean-Marie is nearly always present. The quality, flavor, and cleverness of the food is constantly outstanding. And the menu is great for vegetarians and carnivores alike. The service has improved. Make reservations. If you have to wait, be patient, it will be worth it. This place is there to serve and you will be happy. Already salivating and patiently waiting for my next visit. Thank you!
(5)
Joan B.
Run don't walk to this fabulous restaurant in a small little shopping center in Kapaa. It is fantastic. From the service to the food. One thing is better the next. It is without a doubt the best butterfish I have even eaten in my life. Great restaurants are few and far between, but this one is fit for foodies, locals, visitors and royalty. Make a reservation on the good website Yelp provides. Easy and they remind you via text. Only suggestion to the owner, turn the a.c up. I was roasting.
(5)
Chris L.
This place is a gem! We came straight from Hanalei beach and were completely underdressed (so sorry about the sand). Despite our beach attire and disheveled appearance, the staff was overly accommodating, especially our server Katy. She offered great recommendations on the menu options including Artichoke Soup, Butterfish, Roasted Banana Gelato, and my personal favorite...the Wagyu Beef Cheeks. Every single dish was expertly crafted and the flavors in each bite were unreal. Reservations are probably a good idea, but obviously not required in our case. A tad on the pricier side, but definitely the best meal we had during our week stay in the islands. This is one of those meals you'll always remember and tell all your friends about. Great way to finish a great trip!
(5)
Diane K.
We were visiting for the weekend and hooked up with friends who took us for a delicious dinner experience. Someone ordered the Thai muffins as one of the pupus for the table, very good! My Sea bass with nori and my friend's Crab cake with Hawaiian swordfish was excellent!!! The service was great and knowledgeable about the preparation of the dishes and wines. What a wonderful addition to Kapaa. I recommend this restaurant hands down
(5)
Jacqueline V.
The food and service was amazing. The location does not matter given we have been to restaurants at amazing locations but served extremely mediocre and overpriced meals. This is a must restaurant to visit on Kauai. Highly recommended! !
(5)
Matt X.
Simply amazing. The food was super delicious. My wife and I enjoyed 2 appetizers (wontons and ravioli) and one entire (the butterfish) and though the portions were gourmet style the quality filled us completely! We also enjoyed the banana cream pie with sand crust dessert, yum! Our server was super friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Top notch eats!
(5)
Maryann M.
I don't write reviews very often This place is in a hideaway of a spot in Kapaa Kauai Worth finding We had fish that was so yummy that we scraped the plate how so ever gouche that is The deserts were magnificent Service excellent Presentation of food exquisite I wish they would open a jo3 in petaluma ca
(5)
V A.
Couldn't have asked for a better final dinner on our trip! Top-notch dining experience. Coming from Las Vegas with a good amount of fine dining exposure, this restaurant parallels the best foods I've tasted so far. The food is the star and speaks for itself. Add to that a cozy/modern atmosphere and great service, you can't go wrong. Our waitress Katy was very knowledgeable about the menu and had great recommendations that made our dinner one to remember. We ate: Baked oysters - fresh unique flavor, good start to the meal, 3 oysters on the plate Artichoke soup - awesome. Not usually much of a soup person but this was delicious, would definitely order again. Butterfish - excellent dish, fish was super moist, tasty cilantro sauce with fresh julienned vegetables. Wagyu beef cheeks - prob my favorite dish of the night , melt-in-your-mouth beef , savory sauce with dumplings and cous-cous to soak it up. Roasted banana- great dessert to finish the meal, don't usually go for desserts but didn't want meal to end !
(5)
L C.
OMG! The food was incredible! The chef is very creative and he makes some amazing dishes. I love the kale salad with crispy duck and the mushroom avocado buns. I had the miso butter fish and my friends had the lamb and pork chop. They were all decisions but the pork chop was the best pork chop ever! So moist and delicious. The reason why I didn't give it a five star was because of the service. The head waitress from California, ( I didn't get her name) was not very honest. We were non-alcohol drinkers so she suggested sparkling water, which was fine. After a few minutes,she started bringing another bottle of sparkling water without even asking us if we wanted another bottle. She made it look like it was free refills and just asked for our glasses and started opening another bottle. The bottled water cost us $24! It was not the cost that I was upset about but the way she served us one bottle after another without even asking us. I felt like she deceived us into thinking the refills was free. Otherwise, wouldn't you ask the customer before you start opening another bottle? That was very tacky. And at the end of the dinner, after spending $350 dollars, there was no "thank you" or "come again" from any of the waitresses. The food was great but the service needs more training. For an expensive restaurant, there was no service with a smile! Hope that owner does something about it.
(4)
Kerry L.
We almost cancelled our reservation because we thought it would be too refined for our 11 and 13 year old girls on our last night in Kauai and we debated on going to a place with lower quality food but a nice view instead that the kids would enjoy more. Well, we couldn't have been more wrong. Our waitress was excellent and she explained everything on the menu thoroughly to our girls and made spot on recommendations for them. We all devoured our food. The butterfish was EXCELLENT...so sweet and yummy. Not a morsel was left on our plates (2 of us had it). My other daughter had the ono over shrimp risotto and she said it was the best meal she's ever had. Husband had the opakapaka and it was very good as well but after tasting mine he wished he had gotten the butterfish instead. Had to top it off with the deconstructed banana cream pie. Fabulous!! Would be eating here every week if we lived here.
(5)
Daniel H.
The butterfish is so good, and all the flowers in the salads are lovely - very nice addition to Kapaa. Leilani knows her food, ask her for recommendations.
(5)
Craig D.
(3.75) ~ Good Overall Food & Service. Located in a shopping center. OUR MENU: DRINKS: * Water = (4.5) Waiwera(bottled) is Very Good Water! * French Press Coffee = (4) very good FOOD: * Thai Muffin w. Curry Coconut = (4.25) Very good...our fav...love the butter * Beef Cheek = (3.75) Good * Pork Jowl = (3.75) Good * Bibimap = (3.5) good & creative...but would prefer a runny egg yolk... * Deconstructed Banana Cream Pie = (3.5) good, but I think "constructed" would have been better...we liked the effort though...
(4)
Stephanie T.
Everything was delicious, beautiful, and fresh! I loved their soup, salad, and dessert!
(5)
LS B.
Wow, what a fabulous dinning experience! We have come to Kauai every August-Sept. for 3 weeks for the past 8 years and this is beyond our wildest dreams! The food and presentations are spectacular. The best on Kauai hands down and as good as the best of NYC. We had the Vietnamese Short-Rib Crepe....the hamachi, salmon ceviche and the butterfish.....all OMG in flavors and presentation. The fish was cooked to perfection. The French-press coffee was smooth as silk. And the service was wonderful. Glad we have 9 more days....can't wait to go back.
(5)
Philip F.
I just returned from a weekong vacation in Kauai and Oahu. I ate a number of places- including some highly acclaimed James Beard nominees- along the way, but none compared to my experience at JO2. This restaurant easily bested some of the more noted restaurants in Honolulu, and for that matter warrants consideration among the finer restaurants on the mainland as well. The food was exceptional, the service was attentive, and toward the end of the night the chef came to our table and we had a very engaging conversation about his life in France, his cooking philosophy and influences he has gained from his travels in Asia, and how the culinary scene has evolved in Hawaii over the past 20 years. If you are planning a stay in Kauai, this is a must-visit.
(5)
Tomi V.
Had one of the most unique and best tasting dinners there last Sunday night. Made a big hit to our vacation on the island. Butterfish was Awesome!
(5)
Julie M.
Wow, fine dining in Kapaa! We've been here a few times in the past month or so - and yes, it IS that good! The dishes we've tried have all been wonderful...and we've tried a bunch. Chef really knows how to put out wonderfully, well-balanced dishes that leave you feeling satisfied! The prices are right for the quality of the food you are served. Actually, I take that back....the fish tasting menu is actually underpriced for what you are served. Yes, the restaurant & menu are on the smaller side, but the place is beautifully decorated, and the food & available drinks are delicious. Just be sure to make a reservation, and bring your appetites with you; and save room for dessert...you won't regret it!
(5)
Kanoe I.
Loved, Loved, Loved It! We had an overall excellent experience at Chef Jean-Marie Josselin's restaurant, JO2!! As city folk visiting from Honolulu, we wanted to dine somewhere that was unique to Kaua'i and not a chain restaurant. We love food and fine restaurants, and appreciate the creativity and artistry of seasoned chefs. So when we heard that Chef Jean-Marie had opened this great new eatery, it was off to Kapa'a we went. The restaurant itself is small but very modern and comfortable. The Chef was cooking that night so it was fun to watch him creating his dishes. Each was very artistically presented, with the use of fresh flowers and greens. Very pretty!! The menu itself is separated into three sections: Pupu (Start), No Ka Mala'ai Mai (From the garden), I'a No Uka A Me Kai (From mountain to ocean). Our waitress was very informative about explaining the menu and recommending tasty dishes. Let's just say that we ordered a lot and we loved everything we tried. We ordered: **Salmon "Lomi Lomi" - Tomato foam, onion salad. This dish was delicious. The tomato foam was different, with little taste but it worked with the salmon. A little twist on the traditional Lomi Lomi salmon. **Crispy Chickpea Fries - Romesco sauce Presentation was so cute! The fries came in a ceramic pot and the sauce and condiments came in a small pail. The chickpeas fries were actually good, loved the sauce and fresh greens that came with it. Would recommend this dish simply for presentation alone. **Molola'a Beet Salad - Tomato dashi, goat cheese gouda, arugula. Presentation is again pretty. A lot of fresh greens of various colors, all grown locally. I love beets so this dish was a fave! **Green Beans Tempura - Fennel salad, spicy garlic sauce. The green beans were cooked with a tempura batter and presented on a bed of fresh greens. The variety of greens used was quite impressive, I don't even know the name of some of them. Very delicious indeed! **Dashi braised Nantais carrot - Thai basil curry, local pumpkin, avocado We liked it but weren't raving about. It was good but there were better dishes. Loved the curry though. ENTRES: **Mahi Mahi - Lemongrass sesame crust, Thai curry basil, dragon beans. This was my entree. Presentation again was beautiful with fresh greens and flowers. Loved the sesame crust. Filet of fish was cooked to perfection. The sauce was also tasty. **Seared "Hunan" style rack of lamb - chipotle truffle sauce My Mom said that this was one of the best lamb she's ever tasted. She enjoyed the sauce and couldn't stop raving about it. **Slow Cooked Wagyu Beef Cheeks My friend couldn't stop raving about this dish too. Finishing it in a flash. I'm not a meat eater so I can't really rate it but all I can say is that my friend left nothing on his plate. **Roasted Hawaiian Butterfish Miso - sake, cilantro Another great dish presented on fresh greens. My boyfriend loved it. We both always order misoyaki butterfish when we dine at various Japanese restaurants so we knew this would be one of our fave dishes. The best part of JO2 is the use of locally grown produce and products. The dishes are healthy, tasty and creative. We need a restaurant like this in Honolulu. We were impressed and will look forward to dining there again the next time we are on beautiful Kaua'i. Thank You To Chef Josselin and his staff for your amazing service and for providing us with an impressive dining experience......
(5)
Gisselle L.
This was an amazing experience. It may be hard to find and it's interior does not match the exterior/location of the restaurant. Below is the breakdown. My husband and I served all the dishes family style and were full by the end Starters: Roasted Salmon Belly: Bibimbap, Green Papaya Salad, Crispy Eggs - delicious- I ate it slow to fully enjoy it Crispy Duck Salad: Korean pear, pistachio, kale: at this point I started thinking OMG can this get any better- amazing Main: Sear Ono: shrimp risotto saffron lobster sauce- Wow it can get better. Notes were hit that I didn't know could be Angel Hair Pasta: heirloom tomato, clams, bay scallops- Thought this would be a plain dish but it was anything but that- perfection on a plate Dessert: Chocolate tomka creme brule with vanilla bean ice cream- mmm mmm good If I am ever in Kauai again I would definitely visit this restaurant (left this place feeling happy and pleasant)
(5)
Jules F.
While the overall experience is very pleasant and the food is delicious, I will return to fill my need for a fancy dinner experience. Me: The portions are really tasty and well prepared, but small. Also, Tiki's Tacos is 50 feet away. The wine list is small but sufficient, but the service is exceptional. Wife: Kauai needs more places like this, it reminds me of real restaurants you find in big cities. Will you love it? It's a fancy restaurant. Wear nice stuff. Don't complain that it costs a lot. It's also one of the better restaurants on Kauai, and I would say rivals the St. Regis restaurants for quality, if that's what you're into.
(5)
Ivy T.
JO2! If you haven't been there yet, you must go!! Hands down the best restaurant on Kauai!!! Don't be fooled by the location - step through the doors and you are in a different world..culinary excellence! Jean Marie personally works this restaurant and prepares your meals. He even stopped by to say "Thank you!" For coming to the restaurant, as he was leaving.. I felt like I was in the movie -Hundred Foot Journey...perfection. I was thoroughly impressed, it was that good!! *I had the Hamachi Sashimi, and my entree was the Scallops. I also had the Pinkus German Organic Beer and the Winter Wonder Sake* Tip- make reservations
(5)
Danielle M.
FAMILIES OF YOUNG CHILDREN BE WARNED: This is NOT a restaurant that is family friendly whatsoever. They supply high chairs to appear inviting, but be warned, they will ask you to leave mid-bite into your entree if your child is making any type of noise. I don't mean crying, I just mean anything that even slightly sounds like a child. Now for my review: So, as always, I looked on Yelp to find a close place to grab some high quality grub after a long day of cruising the Napali coast. This spot came up and I drove over to check it out at 5pm when it is listed to open. I walk in and tell them "party of 5 and a high chair". The young kid looks confused and says, we are closed until 5:30. Okay. So he tells me he needs to ask his manager what to do. He comes back and says I can leave and come back in 30 minutes with my party. It's Hawaii, so I'm in that hang loose type of mood, so whatever, I'll come back. We come back and immediately are barked at by this woman (Jennee) who is our waitress. We ask if there are specials and she says "everything is special". I ask if they are known for anything specific since this is my first time at her restaurant. "No." Perfect, this is off to a ravishing start. My Mom orders the seafood platter for 2 and quickly spits out what appears to be a plastic shard of some kind. When pointed out to the waitress, Jennee, she says, "that's a fish scale". Uh? Do I look like I was born yesterday? Just apologize and we can both move on. Nope. I have been a server, and I can tell you that this woman either hates her job or just simply hates man kind. Or maybe she needs a hug. Or perhaps she has island fever? Then, the butterfish comes out. Yum, I'm excited. The first bite is good, and my 2 year old is on my lap playing peek-a-boo with my Mom across the table. Jennee comes over and loudly says "You need to take him out of here because he is disturbing the entire restaurant." Hmm. Okay, so I can't fire back because I am mid-bite as she unprofessionally announces my 2 year olds banishment from her establishment. No warning, no sweet tone, nada. Just absolute rude, disrespectful waitress. I ask for the check, and realize the manager never came over to discuss the plastic foreign body in the food. So I ask Jennee if the manager was going to address it, to which she replies, "I am the manager, and it was addressed". Address with who exactly? Again, this woman is a psychopath if she thinks she has any sort of customer service skills. I genuinely hope the Owner reads this and fires this disgrace of an employee. This could have been an incredible restaurant experience, but Jennee's immature attitude displayed her lack of professionalism and training. And if your no kid policy is so strict, post it on the door, don't stock high chairs, and certainly don't invite us in. I will tell everyone I come in contact with over the next week in Kauai to steer clear of this poorly managed operation. Hopefully Jenne finds a new job at the morgue where her lack of people skills won't make a difference.
(1)
Food T.
What an incredible restaurant! Probably one of the best dining venue in Kauai. Be sure to make reservations And you'll want to take time for your dinner
(5)
Eric B.
Fantastic meal. Probably the freshest fine cuisine on the island. "Chef" and his staff are outstanding hosts, presenters, and ambassadors for the island. I've eaten there twice this week and will go back before going home to the mainland.
(5)
Michael N.
Gourmet food in an unlikely location .... I was wondering why this new place got so busy so soon after opening, now I know. The food is very good but portions are very small. Meal for two was about $65
Totally stoked to have another good place to enjoy fresh, local, innovative cuisine on the East Side. The chef is exceptionally skilled and all of the food was fabulous. Our server was knowledgable and polite. Attentive but not suffocating. The wine list covers any desires and they also offer some Sake, ciders and a variety of unusual beers. The entire staff worked well together as a team. Our over all dinning experience was pleasant surprise. It is a small dining room so making a reservation is a must!!!! We will be looking forward to enjoying dinners here for years to come. Well worth the wait.
(5)
Jorge G.
Thank you, Gracias Obrigado! We love coming here and experience chef Josselin cuisine. Aloha!
(5)
Brett H.
Great stuff from an unassuming location. White table cloth interior and great food and service. Land and sea was well done with a reasonable wine list that had some nice and unusual selections. Great lamb and butter fish. And deserts!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Crystal T.
It's my 2nd time here and I am still blown away with the food they present... I ordered more food than I usually do, and I actually ate all of it, we didn't bring home any leftovers! This place make look like a regular fast food spot from the outside, but once u step inside, it's a whole new level of fine dining, Don't judge a book by its cover I would say. The waitresses were very attentive and explain a good amount of info if every single menu item! I love this place. Totally a recommendation for people who are looking for a great place to eat... Especially if they love fine dining like me!
(5)Donald Kawika C.
I went there with friends to have dinner. We ended up sharing appetizers. 6 apps to be exact. They were so good that I need to go back for dinner and deserts! Great wine list and the service was spot on. I recommend the short rib with Vietnamese crepe, clams ( the sauce is off the charts good) and on the entree menu the miso butter fish. As I stated we shared apps but we also shared the fish! Go there with friends and enjoy the culinary journey. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Jeff H.
Fine dinning at its best on Kauai. Amazing food, and super friendly service from famed chef Josselin. If you like Josselin's Tapas Bar & Grill at Poipu, you will love JO2. Complimentary house-made root chips and dip was fun and exciting. The chicken dumplings with truffles were so flavorful. We had the butterfish & lamb chops. The butterfish was so moist and tender. Yum! The chops were perfectly grilled and the spices used were unexpected and delicious. Food was world class. Excellent job!!
(5)New S.
Jean-Marie Josselin loves to include edible flowers in his cuisine. Although some people may consider this trendy and superfluous, he does it with restraint and flair, which enhances the flavors of the dish, rather than detract from it. This enhancement is demonstrated in the hamachi sashimi, which is fresh and flavorful, and allows one to still taste the fish. In addition, I recommend the butterfish, which is seared to perfection to give the fish a caramelized crust and a succulent flesh which goes down well with a glass of wine. Add to that an awesome service, and I tell you, this is the best restaurant on Kauai.
(5)sarah T.
We almost didn't go to this restaurant because we felt we could get all the fancy food our hearts desires back in NY. We'd been keeping it super simple and local and it's been pretty great. However JO2 is beyond great. Every bite from each plate (appetizers too dessert) was a memorable experience. I eat faster when food is really good but at JO2 I had to eat slow to savor every morsel. The chef is a true artist.
(5)J A.
A chef at another restaurant had suggested we check out JO2 and with the ample amount of vegetarian options- we put in a reservation immediately. The small restaurant seemed a bit stuffy when we walked and and through the meal it felt like there wasn't good enough ventilation in the kitchen. We ordered the hearts of palm ceviche, cauliflower and lentil wontons with tomato chutney, tempura green beans and the artichoke soup. Hearts of palm ceviche was light and refreshing- but was missing the fennel it was supposed to have in it. The wontons were good- the tomato chutney was the best part of the dish. The soup was awesome. A great summer soup because of the light broth and we loved the addition of gnudi. The string beans were a complete miss. The tempura fried green beans were topped with romaine lettuce, orange segments and fennel. This caused the string beans to become mushy and lose their crispness. The dish just didn't make sense.
(3)Michael E.
This is a wonderful spot. I loved their scallop ravioli. Porkchop was delicious. Opakapaka was superb. It is a very small space but they are in the process of expanding so make sure you make a reservation. Say hello to Jean-Marie, chef who is a lovely guy. Make sure you try their vegetables, local and delicious. We loved their beef cheeks as well. Great experience!
(5)Manuel C.
Deliciousness. Try the Seared Hawaiian butterfish, the Seared Hunan style rack of lamb, and the Seared Korean Style short rib. Make sure you get the taro chips with the aioli dip. Great, flavorful dining.
(5)John P.
We're convinced there's some type portal in the parking lot of JO2 - on one side is kuhio hwy, the chevron station etc and then you step through the portal and you're in Vegas or LA or even Geneva. As you walk in you think "This is Kauai ?" This place is awesome for us isolated foodies stuck out in the Pacific Ocean. The food Chef Josselin cooks up is innovative, fresh and beautiful. As someone who shops for produce every week at the farmers market, I could recognize many of the flavors and ingredients as straight from moloaa farms. You could taste each component and the flavors were sublime and delicious. Service from Kelli was outstanding. Chef Josselin is right there cooking everything himself and is a gracious host for all who visit. I don't understand how yelps ranking system works, but I noticed JO2 didn't show up in my search of nearby restaurants - but it should be right at the top next to Hukilau lanai and oasis. No, it's not a 2 star Michelin eatery, but it has a lot in common with one, except price. A nice meal here (with sake) costs less than a single bowl of soup at Guy Savoy. It's not all truffles and caviar here - it's fresh ingredients, local produce, an intimate atmosphere - and that whole portal thing. Plus it's smack dab in the middle of Kapaa! Only bummer is it has been open a year and I just now am discovering it. Go.
(5)Matthew F.
Every single thing we had was fantastic. The butter fish was mouth watering. The service was great. We will go back.
(5)Ash M.
Thrilled that this place exists on Kauai! We went for my husbands birthday so we were a party of 10. The service was spectacular and the food was just killer! We will be back for sure!!! The scallop ravioli was melt in your mouth good and the butter fish was out of this world!
(5)Torben F.
Decided to go here after reading a few reviews on Yelp. Excellent food and experience here. We sampled a number of small plates, and were surprised at the elegance and presentation of each. Very healthy and tasty food, a great place to go, and some of the best food available on Kaua'i.
(5)Jay P.
I, personally, thought this place was overpriced and some kinks need to be worked out in order for me to return. My husband and I went there on our last visit to Kauai, and decided to try it as we love the idea of fine-dining on Kauai. Generally we just cook at home. #1--the starter (free) was just weird and didn't fit with the vibe of the restaurant. It was some sort of chips and some sort of dip. The chips nearly broke my tooth and the dip was just odd...I have no idea what it was. We didn't eat this. I don't know why anyone would. #2--Another thing that I think needs to be worked out is how orders are taken. We were told to order all at once and that the meal would be paced. However, our 2nd course came out too early and we had not finished our appetizer. We weren't in a rush. I'm not sure where the mis-step was, but seems that this is a no-no when you're paying premium prices for food. #3--The service was great overall in terms of promptness, but our server was a little clueless on a few dishes. He had definitely memorized the "schpiel", but when asked more direct questions, he didn't have answers. He also gave us bad information on dessert, served the desserts, apologized for it being incorrect, and then didn't comp the dessert. #4--need a place for people to wait. There was no "wait area" so people were just standing basically in the dining area....which is uncomfortable for those waiting AND those seated. Since it's Kauai, why not have some benches outside? Hmmm...???? On a positive note, the hamachi 1st course was probably one of the best dishes I've ever tasted. It was AMAZING, fresh, and so tasty. Hoping this place fixes a few kinks in the future.
(3)Stephanie H.
Wow! We are so impressed by this sweet little gem. Everything from the decor, food presentation, food quality and service were amazing. The only down fall was another diner had a small child that was screaming the entire time and the parents with lack of parenting skills and consideration did nothing to hush their child nor entertain it. We complained several times to the staff. Eventually they were forced to kindly ask the parents if they could step out with their child. The restaurant and it's modern decor is beautiful as well as small so you could imagine what a screaming out of control child sounds like. Yikes! The entire restaurant at 5:30PM appreciated the silence. Thank you JO2 staff. OK so here's my review... For appetizers we shared the scallop ravioli which was to die for. We also had a kale and duck salad which was again awesome. For entree we shared the butter fish which was the best fish I've ever eaten! We also shared the beef cheeks were rich and oh so tender. Can't go wrong with any of these! And because of the rude family with the child from hell the chef was so kind as to send us (and every other table that had to experience the torture) a beautiful complimentary fruit platter with a coconut Panna cotta! Simply divine! Thanks JO2 for the exquisite experience!
(5)Anne R.
Great restaurant. It's like finding a slice of heaven. When you walk through the doors, the decor and ambiance transport you to a special place. We enjoyed sharing some wonderful Pupu's, amazing greens and really wonderful entrée 's. Very unique for Kaua'i and very grateful for a wonderful dining experience. Love the decor, menu and ambiance
(5)No B.
JO2 is sensational! Celebrity Chef Jean Marie Josselin's newest creation immediately climbed to the top of fine dining choices on Kauai. His "natural cuisine" is unlike what you might imagine as "health-food". Instead it features organic, mostly locally sourced fish, meats, and vegetables infused with Pan Pacific/Asian flavors and techniques uniquely combined in extremely palate pleasing offerings. After our initial visit we returned several times to explore the quite varied menu further. Each time we were rewarded with exciting new tastes that were over the top excellent, yet still easily accessible to those who might approach non traditional dishes cautiously. Perhaps another way to explain it is; classic food ideas rearranged in more exciting and flavor packed ways. Having a famous chef pulling it all together is essential and that's what Chef Jean Marie does so seamlessly. For me it would be impossible to pick a favorite, so I will leave that pleasure up to you. Unsurprisingly JO2's wine list, designed to compliment the food, is worthy of another good review in its own right, but I will leave that up to you as well. Dress is smart casual of course, it's Kauai!
(5)K S.
This was hands down the best food we had during our week on Kauai, and we had a lot of great food! All of the ingredients were fresh, the fish local, presentations beautiful, and the service was impeccable. Our courses were spaced out perfectly so we weren't rushed to eat it all at once. The pineapple gazpacho is not to be missed, the Oho melted in your mouth, and the wine list offered something to perfectly accompany everything on the menu. JO2 also offers plenty of vegetarian options, something remarkably hard to find on the island. The restaurant is small, so make a reservation.
(5)Christina W.
Best dinner on Kauai! The decor was so modern and fun , our waitress was amazingly friendly and knowledgeable . The food: so many wonderful flavors ! The best salad I've ever had was the duck and kale salad! Looking forward to many more dinner dates here
(5)Julie D.
Superb food! We had the lentil wantons, artichoke soup, tempura green bean salad and sesame crusted mahi. Everything was delicious and the service was excellent. Sharing dishes is encouraged so everyone gets a taste! Dessert was also wonderful. I recommend the deconstructed banana cream pie and the coconut panna cotta. We will definitely go back!
(5)Fernando C.
Really good and creative food that's definitely made with love & passion. Forget about the Na Pali coast or Waimea Canyon...I'm jealous for not having this restaurant in San Francisco! Fresh ingredients perfectly combined resulting in dishes full of flavor -- elegant presentation and affordable prices.
(5)Serena P.
I absolutely love this place! Amazing food. The food is fresh so if you really want to try everything on the menu I suggest going early and making a reso. It is really worth it. They start you off with homemade sweet potato chips and cold edamame, which is so tasty. Then I started with the artichoke soup. It was out if this world. Warm and savory. I will be ordering that again. And for the main entree had the pumpkin ravioli with a coconut sauce. They were perfect. Maybe too much of a garnish but you can easily take that off. And to finish, a lime crepe with homemade strawberry ice cream. I pair it all with their red French blend. It was the perfect meal. Perfect for a date night. The decor is chic and romantic. Reminds me of dining out in a big city. I think I found a new restaurant I must become a regular at.
(5)Gene H.
We were thrilled to discover a fine cuisine restaurant on Kauai that was not part of a hotel or resort. Overall the experience was mostly positive, but there could be some improvements. The decor is pleasant and the service very attentive. We showed up about 6:30 PM on a Thursday night without reservations and were immediately seated at a nice table. Shortly thereafter all tables in the restaurant were full. We ordered two glasses of wine that showed up quickly. After reviewing the menu we placed an order for a starter, a second, and two entrées. The waiter asked that we place the entire order altogether as this was the preference of the kitchen. Okay, not a problem. Prior to receiving the starter we were given complementary taro chips and edamame dip. The dip was delicious. However the taro chips were rather thick, really tough to chew, and bland. We tried a couple but left the rest alone. Chips and dip seemed an odd offering in a fine dining atmosphere, but it was free. The Hamachi Sashimi starter was amazing! We could eat that dish again and again. So far so good. First misstep was the arrival of the second while we were still enjoying the starter. Hmmm, I thought this was fine dining. Didn't we place our entire order all at once so the kitchen could pace our meal prep and delivery? Who wants to feel rushed when enjoying fine dining? Okay. Small misstep. At least the Grilled Leek w/ goat cheese, bacon and buttermilk second was equally as amazing as the starter. There was an appropriate pause between the second and the arrival of our entrées. We ordered two more glasses of wine that arrived promptly. In between courses there was plenty of service attention to ask how we were enjoying everything, refill water glasses, clear finished dishes, replace utensils, etc. For our entrées we selected the seared Diver Scallops with black trumpet mushrooms and the seared Hawaiian Butterfish miso sake shiso. The Butterfish was amazing. The scallops were a disappointment. Firstly there were only three modestly sized scallops (probably 4-5ounces altogether) for an entrée that cost $29. Secondly the flavors and components of the dish were discordant (think high school orchestra). Lastly the scallops were salty and tasted faintly of cooking oil rather than the sweet briny ocean flavor one looks for in fresh scallops. So one hit and one big miss on the entrees. The desserts we observed being delivered to other tables looked generous and amazing. Perhaps a little too generous for our remaining appetite. There was however the option of a single scoop of ice cream (among three flavor choices) that we decided to try. The waiter highly recommended the chocolate with sea salt. The other options were Strawberry Guava or Roasted Banana. We took his recommendation but tasted only chocolate ice cream, no sea salt. Did we miss the sea salt? The chocolate ice cream was nothing special, lacking both creaminess and complexity. Really no better than grocery store ice cream. We asked the waiter about the absence of sea salt. He checked with the kitchen and found out they had recently dropped the sea salt. He apologized but didn't offer to remove the item from our bill given the misrepresentation. Comping the dessert would have been the right move. In the end the experience was mostly positive with some notable missteps. The restaurant only opened in November 2014 so I'm sure they are still working out the kinks. However they are charging premium prices (our meal came to $154 with tax and tip for two people) and so the food and service should be outstanding. I'm sure they will continue to improve with time.
(4)Cyrila P.
My family and I have been here numerous times. Owner Chef Jean Marie Josselin never disappoints. Always a joy to have Kelly Joannes wait on us. Jeanee was wonderful also. Our favs are the Angel Hair pasta w/ prawns from Niihau (only when available in season), the seared Hunan style rack of Lamb (so meaty & not gamey), steamed Opakapaka "Chinatown Style", the slow cooked Wagyu Beef . . . goodness, just about everything we've ordered we haven't been disappointed yet! Do not miss the desserts!
(5)Lehua B.
Chef & Owner Jean Marie Josselin has done it again with his Natural Cuisine Menu! We had dinner there 3 times in the last week and will go back again. Every dish was creative & oh so delicious! The Seared Hawaiian Butterfish with miso, sake, shiso heavenly. The Wagyu Beef is a must! The decor is bright and modern and good use of the space.
(5)Adam K.
This place is absolutely amazing. We had the lamb, along with the bao, the crusted oyster and the sea urchin. Every plate was to die for. I would recommend to anyone I meet. And for dessert the banana cream pie was out of this world.
(5)Melody S.
ATTENTION FOODIES This place is top of the list food most delicious service outstanding plenty of parking absolutely friendly professionally put together totally top notch a must
(5)A W.
EXCELLENT! Friendly, great wait and table-bus service....never an empty water glass! The menu is a great eclectic mix that has plenty to satisfy anyone's appetite. Waitress was very friendly, helpful, and well-versed on the menu and specials. Our party of 4 went with some shared pupu selections....all tasty! (Alaskan Crab Meat Causa, Artichoke/Minestrone-style tomato broth preparation and a Mixed greens salad) Entrees selected were Seared Hawaiian butterfish (ONO-licious!), Wagyu beef cheeks (O-my-Goodness! awesome good), Pork tenderloin cheeks w/scallops, and grilled Hapu (seabass). Good portions and all cooked to perfection. Will be back to try some of the other menu offering that caught our eye (Tempura Ahi roll, Onion Soup Bao, and Green Beans Tempura to name a few.) Nice to have another great selection on-island, especially the eastside! A smaller-sized venue....more like the front section area at Roy's Poipu, but arranged nicely. Reservations help and using the Yelp on-line service provided text reminders of the appointment. No signage above the restaurant on the outside like some of the other businesses in the small complex. JO2's name is on the front windows and a little hard to see from the street.....keep looking for it though, the effort is well-worth it!
(5)Jen S.
We love JO2! Everything we've ever had here has been excellent. Location is a little underwhelming but they more than make up for it once you're inside. Highly recommend!
(5)mermaid m.
Horrible food.. We tried over half the menu. They were out of several items on the menu. Hostess had no clue. Waitress was sweet but too busy to attend to our needs. Chicken over cooked. Also had very bland flavor and no salt and very very dry. Took it home to my cat. Tempura green beans were so crunchy that it hurt my mouth chewing and the orange dressing was too sweet and served with a salad on top, which made part of the tempura soggy, which was ok in a way because the beans were too hard and crispy. Oysters were canned not fresh and tasted horrible so we didn't eat. We told our waitress and still paid for them when the bill came. Lamb over cooked and too sweet and no salt. All dishes seemed like they had sugar added and were too sweet for savory entrees. Lose the sugar in all your entrees, salads and side dishes. Chef must smoke cigarettes because they obviously can't taste what they are cooking The foie gras club bites were so tiny and mostly white bread with a sliver of foie gras barely could tell any was on between the 2 pieces of thick white bread!!! Really???? Menu is dated and belongs in the 80's. Nothing new nothing exciting. Sushi needs to go! We go to Kintaros for great sushi. Ahi poke tasted old and again no seasoning and somehow sweet side~ weird!! Too Asian of a menu with little flair, or creativeness. Everything is small dishes and expensive for the size of plates. So disappointing. The staff was a mess and unprepared. Not professional service to go with the prices. Menu needs to be thrown in a trash can and come back with half as much on the menu and maybe try to perfect a few good dishes rather than throw a zillion bad ones! Also create new menu items fresh local seasonal ~** All in all HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT!
(1)Jow H.
Very disappointing food and even worse service. 2nd time and our last. Variety of courses were almost uniformly uninteresting and poorly executed. First time when it was newly opened honestly it was fabulous. Owner chef is moody and incredibly inconsistent however. Equally odd and rude local waitress was of opinion that if we didn't like it it was our problem. End of discussion. Save your money.
(1)Courtney S.
Cauliflower wontons are excellent. Sashimi is great but should be thinner. Berry cobbler is delicious but should have three scoops of Gelato not one. Ono is perfection. Butterfish is amazing but could be the same size as the ono.
(4)Lynn D.
We were delighted to have dinner at JO2. We remember chef Jean Marie from the Pacific Café days on Kauai and then he was gone! What a loss. Now he redefines himself in a chic and tastefully decorated boutique restaurant that wraps its arms around you in everyway. We were greeted by a spunky young woman names Leilani who walked us through the entire menu explaining each dish we showed an interest in. We ordered several items and our favorites were: Hamachi, salmon and blue crab roll, Kabocha pumpkin ravioli, green beans tempura, fennel salad and for desert Toasted Hawaiian was incredible with chocolate gelato. Fantastic! Welcome Back Jean Marie!!! We surely missed you!!!
(5)Dolores W.
Amazing food with recipes having a twist. Best appetizer: grilled leek with goat cheese & an amazing sauce. Fresh fish over sauced vegetables and the deconstructed banana cream pie with gelato was amazing (gluten free!).
(5)Karen E.
.Enjoyed a wonderful meal with Ace pineappe ale , onion soup ham hock bao and seared butterfish while hubby had the osso bucco and lobsster which was also delish topped off with chocolate gelato and haupiia dessert and coffee and baileys ... our server Leilani was awesome and informative and fun ... great intro to Jo2 .... we'll be back...the only negative is that I had called for a reservation earlier in the day and no one answered but was told to leave a message..so I did asking for a res for 2 at 530pm that evening and left my number...no call that day..so we showed up at 530 but apparently we had no res because the hostess put us in a non booth table while a couple ahead of us got a booth..the next day i got a phone call confirming our res for the that evening at 530..so i called back and said no no we had asked for a res the night before...hmmm maybe the hostess should pick up messages upon arrival so that they can get res requests for that day...just saying....thereby only 4 stars
(4)Donna A.
An experience in eating. Unusual pairing, attention to detail, beautiful to behold. A long drive from Poipu but worth every mile. Go, eat, enjoy. Small, make reservations.
(5)Angela L.
Excellent food.. excellent service. .. had reservations X 630 but had to wait until 715 to get seated without really a place to relax... But in their favor allowed us to sit at the table for a larger party til they arrived...glass of wine... good... they are so good and so busy. .they need a place for folks to wait and be comfortable. .. for being open only 6 weeks I must say they're doing an excellent job... The food really was extremely delicious and very professionally prepared ... Highly recommend... make sure you have reservations
(4)Mark H.
Awesome food, great service. Would definitely visit again. The freshest sashimi and creative style. I wish I had been to this restaurant in the beginning.
(5)Tom R.
Excellent, simple but creative food. Terrific, attentive service. A relaxed yet elegant vibe. A little pricey given the small portions, but I'd go back in a second. The best meal we had on Kaua'i.
(5)Julie S.
We went here on our last day on the island. I'm so glad Roy's was booked because this place is a gem. The food, atmosphere, and the service was exceptional. Next time I'm back here on the island, I plan to return.
(4)Judith R.
We just finished our second dinner here in the last three days. This restaurant is hidden in a strip mall in Kapaa. Behind the uninspired strip mall decor is an elegant gem of a restaurant. Tonight, we decided this was the best meal we've had in years anywhere-mainland or Hawaii, or even farther afield. As a patron, we were greeted heartily and warmly welcomed. The wine list is excellent and as we studied the menu, the waitress answered all our questions and gave us endorsements for the various starters and dinners. The salmon belly was superb, the ono with seafood risotto delicious, and tonight the butterfish was the best we've ever had. The green bean tempura could convince us to become vegetarian. Do not miss this restaurant. Msr. Josselin has outdone himself.
(5)Sharon G.
I'm a little torn as to if I should write a review. However I feel it necessary as the service and atmosphere seemed mediocre, unlike what I'm used to at Josselin establishments. On March 1st a group of 9 women set out for a lovely Girls Night Out at the newest Restraunt in town. Totally excited we show up, one by one strolling in, only to find out that the Restraunt did not have our reservation. I would like to give a huge props to the hostess that evening for staying on top of her position and keeping us as informed as possible. Come to find out they had changed reservation books and somehow forgotten to switch over this large party. The hostess did keep notifying us of how they would rectify the situation. At one point, someone who seemed to be a manager or head waiter even came to us and said they would comp something. 20 minutes after our reservation time we were finally seated. Yes I know that's not too long, however it is long when you've got a large party and can clearly see no seats available inside. Finally seated portions were small, staff seemed irritated with our large party, and not one thing was comp'd on our bill! On top of that we were told we couldn't order by the glass and then about 15 minutes towards the end of the night the waitress says oh yea we can order by the glass. First and last time I'll be supporting this establishment.
(2)S E.
Small portions, High Price, but everything tastes phenomenal. The food is also extremely beautiful when served. You almost don't want to eat the art. Excellent wait staff. Knowledgeable and exuberant about the food. Water glass never even half empty. I can't say the same about coffee during dessert. This is a place to go for special occasions. Because the food was so good I did not take any stars off for the following: Location is in a strip mall. Outside does not look like much, but inside is nice. This seems like a place that should have a nice view - of course then the prices would only go up!! Seating in the booths is not very comfortable for eating. I had to sit forward to be able to reach the table and eat.
(5)Monica C.
Even better than Josselin's Tapas in Poipu. Chef Jean-Marie is nearly always present. The quality, flavor, and cleverness of the food is constantly outstanding. And the menu is great for vegetarians and carnivores alike. The service has improved. Make reservations. If you have to wait, be patient, it will be worth it. This place is there to serve and you will be happy. Already salivating and patiently waiting for my next visit. Thank you!
(5)Joan B.
Run don't walk to this fabulous restaurant in a small little shopping center in Kapaa. It is fantastic. From the service to the food. One thing is better the next. It is without a doubt the best butterfish I have even eaten in my life. Great restaurants are few and far between, but this one is fit for foodies, locals, visitors and royalty. Make a reservation on the good website Yelp provides. Easy and they remind you via text. Only suggestion to the owner, turn the a.c up. I was roasting.
(5)Chris L.
This place is a gem! We came straight from Hanalei beach and were completely underdressed (so sorry about the sand). Despite our beach attire and disheveled appearance, the staff was overly accommodating, especially our server Katy. She offered great recommendations on the menu options including Artichoke Soup, Butterfish, Roasted Banana Gelato, and my personal favorite...the Wagyu Beef Cheeks. Every single dish was expertly crafted and the flavors in each bite were unreal. Reservations are probably a good idea, but obviously not required in our case. A tad on the pricier side, but definitely the best meal we had during our week stay in the islands. This is one of those meals you'll always remember and tell all your friends about. Great way to finish a great trip!
(5)Diane K.
We were visiting for the weekend and hooked up with friends who took us for a delicious dinner experience. Someone ordered the Thai muffins as one of the pupus for the table, very good! My Sea bass with nori and my friend's Crab cake with Hawaiian swordfish was excellent!!! The service was great and knowledgeable about the preparation of the dishes and wines. What a wonderful addition to Kapaa. I recommend this restaurant hands down
(5)Jacqueline V.
The food and service was amazing. The location does not matter given we have been to restaurants at amazing locations but served extremely mediocre and overpriced meals. This is a must restaurant to visit on Kauai. Highly recommended! !
(5)Matt X.
Simply amazing. The food was super delicious. My wife and I enjoyed 2 appetizers (wontons and ravioli) and one entire (the butterfish) and though the portions were gourmet style the quality filled us completely! We also enjoyed the banana cream pie with sand crust dessert, yum! Our server was super friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Top notch eats!
(5)Maryann M.
I don't write reviews very often This place is in a hideaway of a spot in Kapaa Kauai Worth finding We had fish that was so yummy that we scraped the plate how so ever gouche that is The deserts were magnificent Service excellent Presentation of food exquisite I wish they would open a jo3 in petaluma ca
(5)V A.
Couldn't have asked for a better final dinner on our trip! Top-notch dining experience. Coming from Las Vegas with a good amount of fine dining exposure, this restaurant parallels the best foods I've tasted so far. The food is the star and speaks for itself. Add to that a cozy/modern atmosphere and great service, you can't go wrong. Our waitress Katy was very knowledgeable about the menu and had great recommendations that made our dinner one to remember. We ate: Baked oysters - fresh unique flavor, good start to the meal, 3 oysters on the plate Artichoke soup - awesome. Not usually much of a soup person but this was delicious, would definitely order again. Butterfish - excellent dish, fish was super moist, tasty cilantro sauce with fresh julienned vegetables. Wagyu beef cheeks - prob my favorite dish of the night , melt-in-your-mouth beef , savory sauce with dumplings and cous-cous to soak it up. Roasted banana- great dessert to finish the meal, don't usually go for desserts but didn't want meal to end !
(5)L C.
OMG! The food was incredible! The chef is very creative and he makes some amazing dishes. I love the kale salad with crispy duck and the mushroom avocado buns. I had the miso butter fish and my friends had the lamb and pork chop. They were all decisions but the pork chop was the best pork chop ever! So moist and delicious. The reason why I didn't give it a five star was because of the service. The head waitress from California, ( I didn't get her name) was not very honest. We were non-alcohol drinkers so she suggested sparkling water, which was fine. After a few minutes,she started bringing another bottle of sparkling water without even asking us if we wanted another bottle. She made it look like it was free refills and just asked for our glasses and started opening another bottle. The bottled water cost us $24! It was not the cost that I was upset about but the way she served us one bottle after another without even asking us. I felt like she deceived us into thinking the refills was free. Otherwise, wouldn't you ask the customer before you start opening another bottle? That was very tacky. And at the end of the dinner, after spending $350 dollars, there was no "thank you" or "come again" from any of the waitresses. The food was great but the service needs more training. For an expensive restaurant, there was no service with a smile! Hope that owner does something about it.
(4)Kerry L.
We almost cancelled our reservation because we thought it would be too refined for our 11 and 13 year old girls on our last night in Kauai and we debated on going to a place with lower quality food but a nice view instead that the kids would enjoy more. Well, we couldn't have been more wrong. Our waitress was excellent and she explained everything on the menu thoroughly to our girls and made spot on recommendations for them. We all devoured our food. The butterfish was EXCELLENT...so sweet and yummy. Not a morsel was left on our plates (2 of us had it). My other daughter had the ono over shrimp risotto and she said it was the best meal she's ever had. Husband had the opakapaka and it was very good as well but after tasting mine he wished he had gotten the butterfish instead. Had to top it off with the deconstructed banana cream pie. Fabulous!! Would be eating here every week if we lived here.
(5)Daniel H.
The butterfish is so good, and all the flowers in the salads are lovely - very nice addition to Kapaa. Leilani knows her food, ask her for recommendations.
(5)Craig D.
(3.75) ~ Good Overall Food & Service. Located in a shopping center. OUR MENU: DRINKS: * Water = (4.5) Waiwera(bottled) is Very Good Water! * French Press Coffee = (4) very good FOOD: * Thai Muffin w. Curry Coconut = (4.25) Very good...our fav...love the butter * Beef Cheek = (3.75) Good * Pork Jowl = (3.75) Good * Bibimap = (3.5) good & creative...but would prefer a runny egg yolk... * Deconstructed Banana Cream Pie = (3.5) good, but I think "constructed" would have been better...we liked the effort though...
(4)Stephanie T.
Everything was delicious, beautiful, and fresh! I loved their soup, salad, and dessert!
(5)LS B.
Wow, what a fabulous dinning experience! We have come to Kauai every August-Sept. for 3 weeks for the past 8 years and this is beyond our wildest dreams! The food and presentations are spectacular. The best on Kauai hands down and as good as the best of NYC. We had the Vietnamese Short-Rib Crepe....the hamachi, salmon ceviche and the butterfish.....all OMG in flavors and presentation. The fish was cooked to perfection. The French-press coffee was smooth as silk. And the service was wonderful. Glad we have 9 more days....can't wait to go back.
(5)Philip F.
I just returned from a weekong vacation in Kauai and Oahu. I ate a number of places- including some highly acclaimed James Beard nominees- along the way, but none compared to my experience at JO2. This restaurant easily bested some of the more noted restaurants in Honolulu, and for that matter warrants consideration among the finer restaurants on the mainland as well. The food was exceptional, the service was attentive, and toward the end of the night the chef came to our table and we had a very engaging conversation about his life in France, his cooking philosophy and influences he has gained from his travels in Asia, and how the culinary scene has evolved in Hawaii over the past 20 years. If you are planning a stay in Kauai, this is a must-visit.
(5)Tomi V.
Had one of the most unique and best tasting dinners there last Sunday night. Made a big hit to our vacation on the island. Butterfish was Awesome!
(5)Julie M.
Wow, fine dining in Kapaa! We've been here a few times in the past month or so - and yes, it IS that good! The dishes we've tried have all been wonderful...and we've tried a bunch. Chef really knows how to put out wonderfully, well-balanced dishes that leave you feeling satisfied! The prices are right for the quality of the food you are served. Actually, I take that back....the fish tasting menu is actually underpriced for what you are served. Yes, the restaurant & menu are on the smaller side, but the place is beautifully decorated, and the food & available drinks are delicious. Just be sure to make a reservation, and bring your appetites with you; and save room for dessert...you won't regret it!
(5)Kanoe I.
Loved, Loved, Loved It! We had an overall excellent experience at Chef Jean-Marie Josselin's restaurant, JO2!! As city folk visiting from Honolulu, we wanted to dine somewhere that was unique to Kaua'i and not a chain restaurant. We love food and fine restaurants, and appreciate the creativity and artistry of seasoned chefs. So when we heard that Chef Jean-Marie had opened this great new eatery, it was off to Kapa'a we went. The restaurant itself is small but very modern and comfortable. The Chef was cooking that night so it was fun to watch him creating his dishes. Each was very artistically presented, with the use of fresh flowers and greens. Very pretty!! The menu itself is separated into three sections: Pupu (Start), No Ka Mala'ai Mai (From the garden), I'a No Uka A Me Kai (From mountain to ocean). Our waitress was very informative about explaining the menu and recommending tasty dishes. Let's just say that we ordered a lot and we loved everything we tried. We ordered: **Salmon "Lomi Lomi" - Tomato foam, onion salad. This dish was delicious. The tomato foam was different, with little taste but it worked with the salmon. A little twist on the traditional Lomi Lomi salmon. **Crispy Chickpea Fries - Romesco sauce Presentation was so cute! The fries came in a ceramic pot and the sauce and condiments came in a small pail. The chickpeas fries were actually good, loved the sauce and fresh greens that came with it. Would recommend this dish simply for presentation alone. **Molola'a Beet Salad - Tomato dashi, goat cheese gouda, arugula. Presentation is again pretty. A lot of fresh greens of various colors, all grown locally. I love beets so this dish was a fave! **Green Beans Tempura - Fennel salad, spicy garlic sauce. The green beans were cooked with a tempura batter and presented on a bed of fresh greens. The variety of greens used was quite impressive, I don't even know the name of some of them. Very delicious indeed! **Dashi braised Nantais carrot - Thai basil curry, local pumpkin, avocado We liked it but weren't raving about. It was good but there were better dishes. Loved the curry though. ENTRES: **Mahi Mahi - Lemongrass sesame crust, Thai curry basil, dragon beans. This was my entree. Presentation again was beautiful with fresh greens and flowers. Loved the sesame crust. Filet of fish was cooked to perfection. The sauce was also tasty. **Seared "Hunan" style rack of lamb - chipotle truffle sauce My Mom said that this was one of the best lamb she's ever tasted. She enjoyed the sauce and couldn't stop raving about it. **Slow Cooked Wagyu Beef Cheeks My friend couldn't stop raving about this dish too. Finishing it in a flash. I'm not a meat eater so I can't really rate it but all I can say is that my friend left nothing on his plate. **Roasted Hawaiian Butterfish Miso - sake, cilantro Another great dish presented on fresh greens. My boyfriend loved it. We both always order misoyaki butterfish when we dine at various Japanese restaurants so we knew this would be one of our fave dishes. The best part of JO2 is the use of locally grown produce and products. The dishes are healthy, tasty and creative. We need a restaurant like this in Honolulu. We were impressed and will look forward to dining there again the next time we are on beautiful Kaua'i. Thank You To Chef Josselin and his staff for your amazing service and for providing us with an impressive dining experience......
(5)Gisselle L.
This was an amazing experience. It may be hard to find and it's interior does not match the exterior/location of the restaurant. Below is the breakdown. My husband and I served all the dishes family style and were full by the end Starters: Roasted Salmon Belly: Bibimbap, Green Papaya Salad, Crispy Eggs - delicious- I ate it slow to fully enjoy it Crispy Duck Salad: Korean pear, pistachio, kale: at this point I started thinking OMG can this get any better- amazing Main: Sear Ono: shrimp risotto saffron lobster sauce- Wow it can get better. Notes were hit that I didn't know could be Angel Hair Pasta: heirloom tomato, clams, bay scallops- Thought this would be a plain dish but it was anything but that- perfection on a plate Dessert: Chocolate tomka creme brule with vanilla bean ice cream- mmm mmm good If I am ever in Kauai again I would definitely visit this restaurant (left this place feeling happy and pleasant)
(5)Jules F.
While the overall experience is very pleasant and the food is delicious, I will return to fill my need for a fancy dinner experience. Me: The portions are really tasty and well prepared, but small. Also, Tiki's Tacos is 50 feet away. The wine list is small but sufficient, but the service is exceptional. Wife: Kauai needs more places like this, it reminds me of real restaurants you find in big cities. Will you love it? It's a fancy restaurant. Wear nice stuff. Don't complain that it costs a lot. It's also one of the better restaurants on Kauai, and I would say rivals the St. Regis restaurants for quality, if that's what you're into.
(5)Ivy T.
JO2! If you haven't been there yet, you must go!! Hands down the best restaurant on Kauai!!! Don't be fooled by the location - step through the doors and you are in a different world..culinary excellence! Jean Marie personally works this restaurant and prepares your meals. He even stopped by to say "Thank you!" For coming to the restaurant, as he was leaving.. I felt like I was in the movie -Hundred Foot Journey...perfection. I was thoroughly impressed, it was that good!! *I had the Hamachi Sashimi, and my entree was the Scallops. I also had the Pinkus German Organic Beer and the Winter Wonder Sake* Tip- make reservations
(5)Danielle M.
FAMILIES OF YOUNG CHILDREN BE WARNED: This is NOT a restaurant that is family friendly whatsoever. They supply high chairs to appear inviting, but be warned, they will ask you to leave mid-bite into your entree if your child is making any type of noise. I don't mean crying, I just mean anything that even slightly sounds like a child. Now for my review: So, as always, I looked on Yelp to find a close place to grab some high quality grub after a long day of cruising the Napali coast. This spot came up and I drove over to check it out at 5pm when it is listed to open. I walk in and tell them "party of 5 and a high chair". The young kid looks confused and says, we are closed until 5:30. Okay. So he tells me he needs to ask his manager what to do. He comes back and says I can leave and come back in 30 minutes with my party. It's Hawaii, so I'm in that hang loose type of mood, so whatever, I'll come back. We come back and immediately are barked at by this woman (Jennee) who is our waitress. We ask if there are specials and she says "everything is special". I ask if they are known for anything specific since this is my first time at her restaurant. "No." Perfect, this is off to a ravishing start. My Mom orders the seafood platter for 2 and quickly spits out what appears to be a plastic shard of some kind. When pointed out to the waitress, Jennee, she says, "that's a fish scale". Uh? Do I look like I was born yesterday? Just apologize and we can both move on. Nope. I have been a server, and I can tell you that this woman either hates her job or just simply hates man kind. Or maybe she needs a hug. Or perhaps she has island fever? Then, the butterfish comes out. Yum, I'm excited. The first bite is good, and my 2 year old is on my lap playing peek-a-boo with my Mom across the table. Jennee comes over and loudly says "You need to take him out of here because he is disturbing the entire restaurant." Hmm. Okay, so I can't fire back because I am mid-bite as she unprofessionally announces my 2 year olds banishment from her establishment. No warning, no sweet tone, nada. Just absolute rude, disrespectful waitress. I ask for the check, and realize the manager never came over to discuss the plastic foreign body in the food. So I ask Jennee if the manager was going to address it, to which she replies, "I am the manager, and it was addressed". Address with who exactly? Again, this woman is a psychopath if she thinks she has any sort of customer service skills. I genuinely hope the Owner reads this and fires this disgrace of an employee. This could have been an incredible restaurant experience, but Jennee's immature attitude displayed her lack of professionalism and training. And if your no kid policy is so strict, post it on the door, don't stock high chairs, and certainly don't invite us in. I will tell everyone I come in contact with over the next week in Kauai to steer clear of this poorly managed operation. Hopefully Jenne finds a new job at the morgue where her lack of people skills won't make a difference.
(1)Food T.
What an incredible restaurant! Probably one of the best dining venue in Kauai. Be sure to make reservations And you'll want to take time for your dinner
(5)Eric B.
Fantastic meal. Probably the freshest fine cuisine on the island. "Chef" and his staff are outstanding hosts, presenters, and ambassadors for the island. I've eaten there twice this week and will go back before going home to the mainland.
(5)Michael N.
Gourmet food in an unlikely location .... I was wondering why this new place got so busy so soon after opening, now I know. The food is very good but portions are very small. Meal for two was about $65
(5)Fred S.
This is our second trip to this restaurant and we chose it for a special occasion tonight. It was really good last November, but tonight it was great. Started off with a freebie they offered of Taro chips and they were to die for which is a surprise to me as they are usually quite bland, but in the hands of a great chef they can be turned into something quite good. Served with a tomato sauce with Wasabi and Edamame which complimented it well. We had some other good starters including Scallop raviolis, Garbanzo bean "fries" and then some Tempura Green beans in a salad with a real good dressing. The stars of the show were the entrées, I had Beef Cheeks and my wife had rack of lamb with Hoisin sauce and both had a creative mix of vegetables around them including various Asian mushrooms, corn shoots and tiny baby Bok Choi. For desert we split a Panna Cotta with guava sorbet. The only thing that bothered me a little was the wine list is a little weak, especially the reds. We got a Syrah from Drew that was pretty dull although the French red blend from Fonsainte was pretty good for the price (Carignan, Grenache and Syrah if memory serves me correctly). The white wines were not bad but I would like to see a Chateauneuf or Paso Robles Rhone on the menu. The meal wasn't cheap, but I have paid more (in some cases a lot more) for lesser food. Best dinner of the year so far. Josselin is a genius Chef. Go here for the quality, but appreciate the fact this a relative bargain given the price.
(5)Katy M.
Totally stoked to have another good place to enjoy fresh, local, innovative cuisine on the East Side. The chef is exceptionally skilled and all of the food was fabulous. Our server was knowledgable and polite. Attentive but not suffocating. The wine list covers any desires and they also offer some Sake, ciders and a variety of unusual beers. The entire staff worked well together as a team. Our over all dinning experience was pleasant surprise. It is a small dining room so making a reservation is a must!!!! We will be looking forward to enjoying dinners here for years to come. Well worth the wait.
(5)Jorge G.
Thank you, Gracias Obrigado! We love coming here and experience chef Josselin cuisine. Aloha!
(5)Brett H.
Great stuff from an unassuming location. White table cloth interior and great food and service. Land and sea was well done with a reasonable wine list that had some nice and unusual selections. Great lamb and butter fish. And deserts!
(5)