Duke's Canoe Club Barefoot Bar And Restaurant

Duke's Kauai consists of two areas: the lower section is the Barefoot Bar and Restaurant, while the upper level is the main dining area. We arrived hoping to have a late lunch or early dinner in the main restaurant, but it doesn’t open until 4:15 PM. Instead, we opted to sit in the Barefoot Bar. The food and service were outstanding. We both ordered the special of the day, Loco Moco, which features a hamburger patty topped with a fried egg. The atmosphere is beautifully decorated and open to the outdoors. It was a bit breezy during our visit, but we still had a delightful meal. There is free valet parking available in the back, just as Google Maps guided us, and you can take a walkway down to the restaurant.

Barefoot Bar is the restaurant located downstairs. Google Maps will direct you straight to the valet parking area (if you prefer to self-park, avoid driving up the hill). The open-air dining is wonderful (great for fresh air, not just for COVID reasons). I highly recommend the coconut shrimp and poke tacos; they were delicious. The entrée was tasty as well. On the night we visited, there was a live singer performing during dinner, which added to the relaxing atmosphere. It was easy to make a reservation, and overall, it was a fantastic experience!

The restaurant had a lovely ambiance with both indoor and outdoor seating options. Our waitress was fantastic and very accommodating. Unfortunately, the kalbi ribs were a bit tough and not up to par. However, my husband enjoyed the fish and chips, which were excellent.

I had a wonderful experience! The staff was friendly, the food was delicious, and the drinks were fantastic! I recommend making a reservation, but they also accommodate walk-ins on a wait-list basis; we only waited about 25 minutes. During our wait, we took a stroll along the beach. I ordered the Ahi steak with added coconut shrimp and enjoyed the salad bar, while my wife chose the prime rib. There was live music, and we finished off our meal by sharing a Hula Pie. Thank you very much!

I was quite disappointed with my experience at Duke's. The service was wonderful—our servers were friendly and attentive—but the food itself was just okay and extremely overpriced. As a resident of Seattle, which is also known for its high prices, I know I could have had a delightful and impressive meal for the amount we spent here. For our group of six—who mostly ordered small appetizers instead of main courses and just one drink each—the total came to over $325. That's more than $50 per person for small portions of mediocre food along with a basic cocktail. The atmosphere didn't feel authentic or local, nor did it feel upscale; it came across as very touristy and reminiscent of resort dining. In fact, we ended up grabbing sandwiches at our hotel a few hours later! On a positive note, the ambiance of the space is lovely, and the staff is genuinely nice. I would recommend enjoying cocktails at the bar downstairs instead of opting for a "fancy" dinner here.