"Poipu's plantation-cuisine star — Roy Yamaguchi blends the island's immigrant flavours into the Hapa burger and Szechuan ribs at Kukui'ula on Kauai's south shore."
About Eating House 1849
Eating House 1849 is chef Roy Yamaguchi's Hawaiian plantation-cuisine restaurant at The Shops at Kukui'ula, on Ala Kalanikaumaka Street in Poipu on the south shore of Kauai. Yamaguchi, a James Beard Award winner and a founder of Hawai'i Regional Cuisine, named it after one of the first eateries built in the islands — a nod to the Plantation Era, when Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese and Filipino communities folded their cooking into a single island table. The menu does the same, changing often around that mix.
For Kauai's other tables, compare the beachfront Beach House, the Hawaii Regional cooking at Merriman's and the lagoon-side Tidepools. It sits within the island's fine-dining and seafood scene.
The Kitchen
The kitchen cooks plantation cuisine — the layered, multi-ethnic food of Hawai'i's sugar era — on a menu that turns over frequently. The signature is the Hapa burger, a blend of beef and Kahuku wild boar, with Roy's original Szechuan baby back ribs and the plantation paella close behind; Kaneshiro Farms pork-and-shrimp potstickers and a crispy whole Tai snapper round out the regulars. Mains land in the $31 to $50 range, putting a James Beard chef's cooking within reach of a relaxed Poipu dinner.
The Room
The room is open and easygoing, with an exhibition kitchen at its heart and a covered lanai that suits Poipu's warm evenings. It is part of the Kukui'ula shopping village, so it leans social and family-friendly rather than hushed and formal — a place for a long, sharing-led dinner after a day on the south-shore beaches. Service is warm and unfussy, in keeping with the plantation-table spirit of the food.
Best for a Team Dinner
A sharing-led menu and an easy, family-friendly room make Eating House 1849 a natural team dinner or group meal in Poipu. The warm lanai also carries a relaxed anniversary dinner or a casual birthday on Kauai's south shore.
Not for
Not for diners after a quiet, white-tablecloth tasting menu — Eating House 1849 is a lively, shopping-village kitchen built for sharing plantation plates in a warm, casual setting.
Frequently Asked
What is Eating House 1849 known for?
It is James Beard Award-winning chef Roy Yamaguchi's plantation-cuisine restaurant in Poipu, Kauai, known for blending the island's immigrant flavours into dishes like the beef-and-wild-boar Hapa burger and Szechuan baby back ribs.
What should I order?
The Hapa burger — a blend of beef and Kahuku wild boar — is the signature, with Roy's original Szechuan baby back ribs, the plantation paella and the pork-and-shrimp potstickers close behind.
How much does it cost?
Mains run in the $31 to $50 range, with a frequently changing menu of plantation-era plates.
Who is the chef?
Eating House 1849 is the work of Roy Yamaguchi, a James Beard Award winner and a founder of Hawai'i Regional Cuisine.
Where is Eating House 1849 located?
At The Shops at Kukui'ula, 2829 Ala Kalanikaumaka Street, in Poipu on the south shore of Kauai.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Eating House 1849
Popular south-shore room; book ahead for sunset and high season.
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Practical Information
Address2829 Ala Kalanikaumaka St A-201, Poipu, Kauai
NeighbourhoodThe Shops at Kukui'ula, Poipu
CuisineHawaiian / Pacific Rim
PriceMains ~$31–50
Dress CodeResort casual
SeatingOpen dining room & lanai
ReservationRecommended
