Kenji Burger Koloa — Restaurant in Kauai

This is my second review of Kenji Burger, my first was in Kapaa the night before....

Alas, our Kenji Burger love story continued, completely by accident. Driving through the magical tree tunnel and winding up in the charming town of Koloa (seriously, it’s like the most idealistic island town), we found ourselves at the end of the road—and what was waiting for us? Another Kenji Burger. It felt like fate.

We had planned to revisit the Kapaa location, but who were we to turn down this serendipitous opportunity? This spot had a different vibe—more of a sit-down setup with a large, partially indoor area. Our server, Jenn, was amazing, and after hearing about our spiritual burger experience in Kapaa, she seemed determined to deliver an encore performance.

This time, I decided to shake things up and ordered the Hapa Burger: a glorious creation featuring Japanese BBQ sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese, sriracha pineapple slaw, caramelized onions, and, of course, 100% Kauai grass-fed beef. It came out thicker and cooked medium—perfectly juicy and bursting with flavor.

The flavor explosion was unreal. The sweet tang of the pineapple slaw mingled effortlessly with the savory crunch of the bacon, creating a textural masterpiece. The caramelized onions and BBQ sauce added a smoky sweetness that elevated the buttered bun to new heights of deliciousness. The beef was every bit as flavorful as the Truffle Burger I had devoured the night before. I was in burger heaven all over again.

But here’s where it gets interesting. About halfway through this culinary bliss, my taste buds decided to take a little nap—thanks to bromelain, the enzyme in pineapple that can cause numbing. No fault of Kenji (or the pineapple’s deliciousness), but it was a tiny reminder from the universe that even paradise has its quirks. So, if you’re going for the Hapa, just be prepared for a slight flavor fade if you’re sensitive to bromelain.

Even with the numbing twist, this burger still ranks among the best I’ve ever had. As we walked out, we were already scheming how to fit in one more Kenji visit before we left the island. Getting the shirt next time.

Kenji Burger, you’ve done it again. We are unofficially part of the fan club. If you’re in Koloa, Kapaa, or anywhere in between, don’t miss this place. Your taste buds will thank you—well, until the...

Once again we had a fantastic trip to Kauai and we decided to grab some "quick" food before heading to the airport. We didn't want your typical McDonald's fast food, but instead, wanted to try something a little nicer. We came across Kenzie Burger on Google and it had decent reviews so we thought we'd give it a try. It was only open until 9 but we arrived just before 8pm. We were seated with a smile and our food came out fairly quickly. I ordered the Katsu chicken bowl and a Chardonnay and my husband had a Hapa burger. My wine was quite good. My chicken bowl was meh. I asked for more sauce because it was fairly dry. My husband didn't care for his burger, but other than the fact the bacon was over cooked and hard, it possibly was just not the right flavours for him. Our biggest issue was the fact our server came to our table when I was still eating to get us to pay. We had only had our meals for ten or fifteen minutes and I said, I'm not even done yet. She told me she knew that, but her boss was "pissed off" that the hostess seated us and that they should have been closed at 8pm. I was not impressed but we paid and left quickly. On my way out I told "the boss" who was apparently upset, that Google said they were open Friday nights til 9pm, and I felt it was sort of rude to have rushed us out. He really didn't seem to care, saying well, things change. Then turned away and continued closing our the till. I can't believe the good rating they have on Google with the absence of decent customer service and Aloha. We should have made a different choice in beautiful Old Koloa Town. This wasn't exactly what we meant by a...

I placed an order for pickup online. They actually called me immediately after to let me know the kitchen was backed up and I should wait 10 extra minutes. I picked up the food and went home.

I ordered a cod bowl. I had no fish, but an extra burger in my bag. I checked the receipt to confirm they had my order correct. I assumed they just put the wrong item in my bag. Annoying, but I know it happens.

I call them up to let them know about the mistake and ask for a refund. "Sorry, we were out of cod so the chef decided to give you a burger instead." This is an insane response. Clearly, you can contact me because you let me know to wait for the kitchen, but didn't think it was necessary to tell me you don't have what I ordered? Or to tell me when I picked up the food?

I could almost accept this if it was a close substitute, but this was not. They replaced a fish dish with a cheaper beef burger. What if I didn't eat beef? And what about the fact that you charged me for an item that was $5 more than what you gave me?

The only positive is that they gave me a refund immediately.

Oh, and the "free" burger was overcooked. Furikake fries are...