ALISA Sushi & Thai Bistro — Restaurant in Kauai

UPDATE: Now that our Kaua'i vacation is over and we are stateside again, I can safely say with the utmost confidence that of all the many, many places we ate on the island, SEA Restaurant earned the distinction of easily surpassing them all in awfulness: worst service, worst food, worst value. My firm recommendation would be to eat instead at the lovely and delectable Lilikoi, right next door.

INITIAL REVIEW: What a lovely setting right across from the vibrant Kalapaki Beach!

That's about the only complimentary comment I can make about SEA Restaurant. We were very excited about this place after reading the reviews, and EXTREMELY disappointed upon leaving.

Where to start...Gordon Ramsay would have a field day with this place.

First, the time. It took us a while to be greeted. Then 10 minutes to be seated. Then another 20 minutes to get water. No silverware. No napkins. No plates. We ordered and went to the bathroom. Bathrooms were shabby. No paper towels.

From the time we sat down until the time we finally received our appetizers, it had been 45 minutes. Then another 15 minutes for main courses. Two by two, people's food came out over the course of about 30 minutes, with my husband's and son's food coming out after everyone else had already eaten.

I ordered fried tofu with broccoli, spinach, and peanut sauce. The only good thing about this dish is the fact that I'm watching my portions, because this portion was TINY. We're talking eight little 1/2-inch cubes of piping hot tofu, drizzled with peanut sauce on cold broccoli and spinach. For $15. If someone was joking with me, I was not amused.

Water not being refilled frequently throughout the meal. Food cold. Bland. Not cooked thoroughly. Sweet and Sour chicken not breaded. Small bowl of soup: $8. Six crab rangoons: $10. A tiny piece of chicken tenderloin cut up with teriyaki sauce drizzled on it, two small stalks of broccoli, a small handful of rice for my 10-year-old son: $8. What a rip-off.

My husband's "healthy chicken" was steamed with the fat still on and no finesse whatsoever. For $19. My father, who has eaten orange chicken at every Asian restaurant he ever goes to - so it's his benchmark - couldn't even finish his, it was that bad.

"Spicy salmon roll" came out with the tiniest bit of spicy mayo inside the roll. When my mother asked for fish sauce and hot peppers, THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ANY. At a Southeast Asian restaurant? REALLY??

When the server finally stopped by at the end of the meal to ask us how everything was, I very factually and soberly replied, "It was just alright."

She replied, "Okay," and continued to zoom by on her way to the kitchen. No conversation, no further questions, no offer to bring out an invisible manager.

On top of all this, they charged an automatic 20% gratuity. For terrible service and awful food. I almost feel like we should dispute this with the credit card company. We won't because we were hungry and we did eat the food. But the least I can do is to warn YOU.

I hope whoever owns this restaurant gets really bad sleep at night. May his/her mattress be eternally lumpy and may s/he wake up every morning with a headache from...

I came as a solo diner before dinner time, about 4:30. There were about 6 other tables already eating their food. Many empty tables. I sat outdoors on the terrace with a bay view. It took a very long time for my server to appear. When he finally came, he took my order and said he'd return with water and silverware. When I ordered, I also asked for a beer. Another 7-8 mins passed before he returned with water. No beer nor silverware. Waited patiently another 8-10 mins and had to get up to walk to the bar. I was about to ask about the beer. At this time, my server came walking around the outside corner of the bar with a cocktail tray and a beer. He seemed completely surprised that I'd left my table to look for him. Well of course I'd be looking after waiting over 20 mins since initially being seated!! Finally the crab rangoon came. It was cool to luke warm. Worse than that, they tasted horrible. Bland cream cheese with awful taste. Couldn't find any crab. I've eaten Thai food in many places including Los Angeles, Portland, Vancouver, London, etc. I'm a huge Thai lover and I seek out good Thai. This crab rangoon was so bad I ate only two (tried a 2nd one to see if it was better but No). Lastly, the main dish came. It was a red snapper curry. It was one of their house specialities. The fish curry was beautiful and absolutely delicious. It was perfectly spicy, not too hot or too mild. This said, it came in a serving bowl with a huge serving spoon without any silverware or individual bowl. I asked for silverware. He said he'd return with silverware but he never did. I was so hungry that I began eating using the large serving spoon. BTW - there was another table of 4 very close-by seated shortly after me. They took a very long time studying the menu before they ordered but once they ordered, they all got served waters, silverware and drinks quickly. They had the same server!! I watched my server pass by me twice to serve this other table without bringing me silverware, napkin nor asking me if everything was Ok. Maybe because I was a solo diner, he decided to ignore me. Perhaps he was extremely forgetful. He seemed very distracted to me. He wasn't very friendly. To sum up, this was my first time as a traveler/tourist to Alisa Sushi & Thai restaurant. The house specialty fish curry was delicious. The crab rangoon was tasteless and worst I'd ever tried. The server was slow forgetful and almost non-existent. I ate my food with a large serving spoon since he never brought silverware. I had to pay my bill at the bar area because my server never returned with the check. When I return to Kauai, I'll be eating at another Thai restaurant, not Alisa...

This Thai and Sushi establishment promises a delightful fusion of flavors and textures that elevate it beyond the ordinary. The Thai Sea Garden Roll is a vibrant medley of avocado, carrots, mixed greens, romaine, and cucumber, skillfully wrapped in fresh rice paper, and served with a housemade sauce. The Pad See Ew offers wide rice noodles stir-fried with a harmonious blend of crisp veggies and savory tofu, creating a symphony of chewy, savory goodness. The Thai fried rice, featuring fluffy grains, sautéed veggies, and protein-rich tofu, is a wok-tossed masterpiece.

Beyond the delectable dishes, the staff's hospitality enhances the overall experience, providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Remarkably, the prices remain reasonable for the quality and variety offered, ensuring a satisfying balance for both taste buds and wallets. The spice levels, a crucial element in Thai cuisine, are perfectly calibrated, adding an extra layer of enjoyment for those who appreciate a bit of heat. In summary, this Thai and Sushi place in Kauai delivers above-average food, a fantastic location, friendly staff, and reasonable prices—a culinary journey...