Smiley's Local Grinds — Restaurant in Kauai

Today, my family and I had one of the most disheartening and infuriating restaurant experiences we’ve ever had — and it happened at Smiley’s Local Grinds, a place we thought would offer great local food with aloha spirit. We were wrong.

We had read the positive reviews and were genuinely excited to try Smiley’s before catching a flight. My mother, my 9-year-old daughter, and I arrived around 6:20 PM — well before a crowd formed — and placed our order. I had been looking forward to the teriyaki chicken, but was told it was sold out. Disappointed, I politely asked questions about other options, but the young woman at the window made it clear I was inconveniencing her. Her demeanor was sneaky, impatient, and dismissive — right from the start.

Still, we were hungry and optimistic. We ordered and waited outside. And waited. And waited.

Fifty minutes passed before we received our food — not five, not fifteen — FIFTY. Meanwhile, multiple people who came after us received their food well before we did. Local pickup orders were prioritized without question. We watched people walk up long after us and walk away with fresh food in minutes.

We tried to remain patient and polite, but it was impossible to ignore the pattern: if you weren’t a local, your order simply wasn’t important. This wasn’t just slow service. This was deliberate second-class treatment. By the time our Uber arrived, my daughter — starving, hot, and confused — was crying. As a single mom, it was heartbreaking to watch.

When I finally asked (after nearly an hour) where our food was, I was brushed off with an excuse about certain orders “taking longer.” And when our food finally did come out? It was tossed on the table without a word. No apology. No acknowledgment. Just cold indifference.

This wasn’t just bad service — this was blatant favoritism, and yes, I believe it was rooted in prejudice. We were clearly not locals, and we were treated like we didn’t belong — like our time, our money, and our presence didn’t matter. I’ve never felt so unwelcome while simply trying to feed my child.

Tourists, please take this to heart: if you’re not a regular or a local, don’t expect to be treated with the same care. In fact, don’t expect to be treated with any care. We left feeling hurt, disrespected, and furious — not just for the wasted time, but for the way we were made to feel invisible.

There are many wonderful places on Kauai with true aloha spirit. Smiley’s is not one of them. Think twice before giving them your time or money. We deserved better —...

Excuse me as I am not Hawaiian or a local so this is just my experience as an outsider. I know some of this is just "regular Hawaiian culture"

Loved that it was a true local spot. I got the shrimp/smileys chicken, chili garlic style. Husband got Katsu (not pictured). The food was pretty good. It wasn't bad at all and it was satisfying. Not the bessst food ever. I've had better garlic shrimp on the island (Wake up Cafe in Hanalei, also local spot). The chicken was nice and tasty. Katsu was just fine and good.

IT'S ALL TO GO. So don't expect to sit down and eat here :)

Saw a lady come up looking for banana bread. The young girl at the counter said "Sorry Auntie, not today". Lady asked, "When will you have banana bread again?" Girl said, "... Okay I'm the baker and I got lazy last night so I didn't bake the bread". Still didn't give an answer of when she will actually make so I guess it's whenever she feels like it lol.

Also, give them some time. It looked like we were the 2nd in line and no one else but they had a whole bunch of ordered in orders. I ordered an Uber that was 20 minutes out and I figured that would be enough time since we were the only ones there, Uber almost left us cause he arrived after 20 minutes and we used 4 minutes and 30 seconds of the driver waiting time LOL. Again didn't realize they have so many...

Smiley's Local Grinds is a hidden gem on Kauai that serves up some of the best takeout Hawaiian food on the island. The restaurant is located in a small strip mall in Lihue, but don't let that fool you. The food is anything but ordinary.

Smiley's is known for its large portions and reasonable prices. You can get a full meal for under $20. The menu features a variety of Hawaiian favorites, including kalua pork, laulau, and Teri chicken and beef. But the real star of the show is the Smiley's chicken.

Here are some of the dishes we had:

Smiley's Chicken: This is the signature dish at Smiley's. It's made with a special blend of spices that gives the chicken a unique flavor. The chicken is cooked to perfection and is served with two scoops of rice and Mac salad

Today’s special items Prime Rib: This is a delicious and tender cut of beef that is cooked to medium rare perfection. It is served with a delicious sauce

Beef Stew: This is a hearty and flavorful stew that is made with a rich and flavorful broth. It is filled with tender Korean cut beef short ribs, potatoes, carrots, and onions.

I highly recommend Smiley's Local Grinds to anyone looking for delicious Hawaiian food at a reasonable price. The food is always fresh and the service is friendly. You won't be...