Tropical Taco

Nice spot in good central location. There is an outdoor deck overlooking the main thoroughfare. They push the 2 for $ 14 house special fish tacos. But, what’s really missing is a killer sauce. We have had a lot of fish tacos, and the best have that secret sauce. As it stands now the fish tacos are rather bland. Once you’ve fried something you need to bring it back to life with some zesty condiment — The Brits use vinegar which is pretty brutal. There are plenty of local fruits and spices that could make their tacos really sing of local flavor. Pineapple papaya chutney or spicy avocado… lots of possibilities.

Been to many places on the island. Definitely not our favorite and we won’t be back. Over priced as well.

Tried this place despite the Unilocal rating and still managed to be disappointed. After an 8 mile hike we were starving for anything… The quesadilla was edible (albeit nowhere near worth $ 6) and the fish tacos were super bland.
The location is great and should be populated by something way more delicious.

Best fish taco ever. Baja fish taco special is awesome. Add the house made hot sauce for extra kick. Our family ate lunch here twice in one week. Would have had it three times but the place literally ran out of food at 230 one day this past week — that’s how good it is. A must stop for a beach lunch break while enjoying Hanalei Bay.

Aloha from Kauai!
After a long walk and fun at the farmers market it was time to get some grub on! We were originally going to the dolphins to dine, but when we came across the sign fresh fish tacos, i got sucked into to try it. When i got there it wasn’t open yet, but waited about 5 mins then they were ready to serve us.
I instantly know what i wanted and i ordered the baja fish tacos!
BAJA FISH TACOS
2 beer battered fish tacos, beans, and chips.
The first bite was uhmazing! well why? First they used beer batter, the batter coating was perfect and just the right amount. Next when your teeth bite into the batter you can hear a crunchy sound! The batter was crunchy and crisp! Gotta satisfy the crisp cravings! Next the eyes gets a whiff of the hot steam coming out of the tender fish fillet! This fish taco paired with their homemade salsa was excellent! Overall, crisp, hot!, fresh, and tasty! The beans that came with it was ok, nothing special to rave about that.
The price for 2 fresh fish tacos which were catch of the day for $ 15. Yes the price is steep but it was good.
Warning: just be careful and take small slow bites of the fish, because in one of the bites, there was a bone inside. Its suppose to be fillet, but sometimes bones aren’t removed completely.
The layout is simple inside, they have about 6 tables and the tables reminds me of every homes dining table. The table can fit 6 people but they just put 2 chairs on each side. I felt like i was at home eating some homemade fish tacos.
Also a side note, they don’t serve alcohol, so what happens next? There is a convenient store right next to it. I asked if it was okay to bring it inside to enjoy with my food and they were like sure! I went and got some local beers and brought it inside to enjoy. When i was getting ready to leave, i got up and saw a bottle of patron where the employees just took a shot with there lunch lol… yeses! you can pop bottles at a restaurant is plain awesome!
Overall Fresh fish tacos and i guess i will just stick to that. Bringing your own bottle is awesome! Nice friendly employees so it was a great lunch experience. They do have some homemade salsa in a bottle make sure to ask for that because it goes well with the bland rice and beans. Mahalo for reading and happy Unilocaling!

Frankly, the food in Kauai is mediocre. I’m from LA, so this island doesn’t stand a chance. However, Tropical Taco does a great job. Best fish taco I’ve ever had. The battered fish was hot and crispy from start to finish. The taco was topped with a nice fresh heap of cabbage and delicious salsa. One order includes two giant tacos and a side of well seasoned retried beans and chips. To top it off, the place is clean, offers great seating indoors and on the deck, and has excellent friendly service.

The fish tacos were outstanding– and they allow you to bring in your own beers. Cute place, super clean. A definite must stop for the out of towners.

Ok tacos. Nice fat fresh fried fish, middle of the road flavors, big portions, pricey. Good for Kauai.
Great after the beach.

What?! How does this place not have 5 stars?! 2 MONSTER SIZE tacos. Beans. Chips. Lime. SOLD. The fish tacos were so perfect. Fish just right not dry or over cooked. Big pieces. Crispy batter. Cabbage and salsa and a yummy mayo sauce Baja style done perfectly. The staff was friendly and they have knowledge about the menu and the items. Answered all my questions (I am no dairy) without haste and got my order correct. Perfect experience. Sit on the patio and eat and watch the people change and the mountain stay lush and green!

We went here hoping to be wowwed by local fresh fish tacos. My mom couldn’t finish hers because the smell was over-​poweringly fishy. Overall, disappointed…

This place’s appeal was the roadside charm. Though located in a building with other shops it has an open front with indoor or outdoor seating. The guy who greeted and took our order was friendly and accommodating. I really had high hopes for a good fish taco where the flavors were just that of seasoned fish and a tropical inspired salsa. Though a beautiful plate presentation I got a taco that seemed more California food truck inspired with an overfilled corn tortilla. There were way too many refried beans which dominated the taste and texture I was hoping for. There was a hint of the seafood at the bottom of the piled high lettuce, cheese and beans. Tomato salsa was on the side. There were three of us in my party. We all ordered tacos and a regular fountain beverage (refills $ 1.00). Total bill $ 48.00.
I would go back but will go with another menu selection.

This place is expensive, slow, and only vaguely resembles Mexican food.
I give 2 stars, because I did not actually get sick, but… Wow! Crappy ½ burrito for $ 14!!!
Also $ 1 extra for take out per plate.
If it was delicious, fine, but you couldn’t try to make less appealing non Mexican food.

Great place for lunch in Hanalei Town. We love the fish tacos, which are large enough to split. One of the few real values on the north shore.
They do not serve alcohol but it is accepted to BYOB. Very laid back. Get there early as they can sell out of side dishes in the early afternoon.

What a pity. This place has a great spot on Kuhio Hwy and must get a lot of foot traffic. If it wasn’t for the great service we experienced, this place would get only one star.
Great service.
Great location.
Cute ambience.
SUPER overpriced.
Fish tacos SO BLAND.
We ordered one order of fish tacos to share for around $ 17 + tip thinking we were going to get at least 2 amazing fish tacos. After all, we are in Kauai. Nope.
We only got ONE gigantic taco and it was soooo bland. Just no flavor. There was shredded cheddar cheese on it (weird in my book for fish tacos in Kauai where you should let the quality of the fish SING) and a very generous heap of refried beans (also weird for fish tacos). There were some basic Taco Bell type of veggies in it too. It didn’t poison us, but we were disappointed in ourselves. I guess that’s why you should check Unilocal before eating anywhere.

Service: First contact: Cashier unenthusiastic and unhelpful shrugged to a customer; heard one of the Cooks yelling at customer «Yeah, MAHALO! ALOHA!“sarcastically as in «Bye scram!» ;
½ star or Zero: Need mystery diners and chef rescue
Food: Bland &Dry Loveless Tasteless
Advice: If starving, Don’t eat cardboard!

The staff here is so friendly & the Ladies are super sweet!!! What got us hooked though is their taro fries! Best thing I’ve had in a while. I love fries. & I love taro. & these beautiful people combined it into one delicious bite! Best fish & chips to date. Aloha!

This was out third trip for lunch and the food has been outstanding. The fish is fresh with just a light breading, fresh vegetables and great salsa. Prices are fair for the islands and you won’t walk away hungry! (Serving sizes are large). Surprise of the day, they sampled the taro fries… good flavor, the sauce was banging!!!
The staff is quick to share opinions on what to try and the fish changes based on what is fresh! Ono, Ahi so far… Waiting for Mahi Mahi!

A local friend recommended my husband and I eat at Tropical Taco on our recent visit. It was good. We both ordered the fish taco combo. Being from California we’ve had our fair share of fish tacos and while the ones we had here were not the best we’ve ever had they were definitely yummy and worth a try. Besides the food they also have a stunning view from the stools outside– mountains and waterfalls. We’d eat here again!
(For people mentioning the price of everything, we found in general that food was very expensive on Kauai, whether it was good or not, or whether the portion sizes were decent. Expect to pay a lot no matter where you decide to eat on the island)

Before I begin my review, let me be clear that it was 11:30 a.m., and I hadn’t eaten anything yet today. Thus, I was in what I like to call the hunger point of no return. I had to eat… so I went in and ordered the first thing I saw that looked good.
When I walked into Tropical Taco, I was greeted with a stack of menus that was simple and way too pricey. All of the entrees were over $ 10, and the beef burrito I ordered was no exception ($ 14). For $ 14, I am expecting quite a bit from a burrito. Instead, I was really given a small step above taco bell. The beef was cheap ground beef that could not be distinguished from a mainland fast food joint. I can only imagine the types of profit margins these guys are enjoying. The burrito was medium in size, and there were a half dozen chips tucked underneath the burrito in an attempted «side dish.» My wife ordered the fish tacos, and they were also mediocre at best.
Long story short, don’t eat here. It’s overpriced and not worth the money. I would recommend trying one of the other nearby local spots in order to grab a quick bite for lunch. If I wasn’t absolutely starving when I walked in, I would have walked right back out when I saw the price.

Overall: Not super impressed, but a cute local spot. Somewhat pricey, but most of Kauai is that way. I wouldn’t say to come out of your way to go here, but if you’re in the north and are craving Mexican food, this is probably your only option.
Cost: About $ 28 with tax.
Wait: None on a rainy Saturday afternoon around 5pm.
* Baja Fish Taco Special ($ 13) — 3.5 stars
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cross-​section:
Decent fish, tortilla not super fresh. The yams have nice texture, thick and chunky, but were pretty flavorless.
* Tropical Taco, Beef ($ 13) — 2.5 stars
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cross-​section:
This is huge! The tortilla is really great — crunchy, thick, deep fried. As for the fillings, and it’s a very run of the mill middle-​school-​cafeteria-​esque taco, with chopped iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, thoroughly cooked ground beef. If you like classic Americanized tacos and just a large quantity of food, this is your best bet!