Infigo’s

Ok, we had read Unilocal,and we’d been warned it was sloooooow.
So we came at opening. 6:30. We figured that would help.
By the time 8:45 came along, and we’d only gotten some of our entrees … and we asked for the check but could never get it …
We just left cash on the table and left.

What. The. Hell. Most (entertainingly) awful dining experience ever. As in, I hate to bash anything, but it was so undeniably ridiculous, we couldn’t help but laugh at what a joke it was. Stay away until they get their isht together or they become another restaurant altogether.
First, we had just arrived from LA and Infigo’s was recommended by the front desk at the Wyndam Ka’eo K’ai so we made a reservation for 6 people on Saturday night (Nov. 10).
Maybe 2 other parties were there, clearly no need for a reservation. We all agreed it was a great location and beautiful ambience and we liked the live ukelele music. But that was absolutely all we liked.
Here were the main problems that you need to beware if for whatever reason, you decide to disregard my initial rating and go anyway…
1) CASH ONLY! At no time during the night was this mentioned to us until we actually asked when the check came because we happened to notice it in a couple Unilocal reviews. How on a earth a pricey sit down dining restaurant like this can’t think their patrons would need to know this ahead of time, is beyond me.
2) NO LIQUOR LICENSE! Even though they misleadingly have rows of wine bottles by the entrance.
3) BEWARE THE DECEPTIVE MENU! They didn’t have 75% of what was offered on the menu. No lobster, no scallops, no chicken!?! (we damn near went outside and got our own chicken)
Now, I know it could have been just an off night, but it’s unacceptable to not give your customers the run down before they get comfortable in your restaurant. It was only exacerbated by our waiter who was no where near equipped to appropriately deal with the situation. Nice guy, but wow. They should not be open when running their business like this.
Oh! And on top of that it was overpriced and the Chef’s Challenge appetizer was very disappointing.
Stay. Away.
.

Great hidden Gem!
Romantic restaurant, great food and wonderful staff.
Bring your own Alcohol, they don’t have a liquor license.
Wonderful food, a must go.

Infigo’s is leisurely fine dining. Come here if you are are into fine food and are looking for a food experience and are with friends who also share this interest.
We enjoyed this place because we read the prior reviews and knew what to expect. If you have the right mindset you can relax and just enjoy. Americans don’t realize that in other parts of the world — dining is meant to be like this… its not a fast and furious eating frenzy.
The food IS excellent — the spirit of the owner/​operator Chef Nicholas is amazing. He is VERY passionate about his food… we could taste it!
We brought our own flavored vodka — so life was good for my husband and friends (I don’t drink) and I was fine.
Kick back, relax and ENJOY and no more whining about the wait — you’ve been notified! :)

Infigo’s? More like infuriating.
I discovered Infigo’s via Unilocal,so I expected a long wait for my meal. But no two course dinner should take an excruciating FOUR hours.
We ordered soon after we arrived. Our fresh bread with sundried tomato balsamic and olive oil and shrimp and papaya salad appetizer came out quickly. Then the wait began.
It must have been over an hour before the next course came — a complimentary dish of fried moi with beurre blanc over rice, to tie us over until the main courses we ordered were finally ready. That was nice, I guess… But why not just spend your time making the dish I actually ordered? Our waiter explained that with only one chef in the kitchen and a big party to serve, dishes were running late. Honestly, Infigo’s should downsize if they’re not able to handle a few parties at once.
At this point, I wished I had BMOB. The table across from us must’ve gone through a six pack by this point (awkwardly too drunk in front of their kids). A table of elderly regulars brought a dog into the restaurant (gross, this is an indoor eating establishment). Our waiter was sampling wine from one of the tables that did bring their own (hate to tattle, but please, be a little professional). Seriously, WTF.
Another hour later, Infigo’s saving grace arrived — the main course. Legit delicious. My parents had the chorizo-​stuffed mahi and the ono. Both yummy! I ordered the chef’s challenge, and ended up with seared ahi over noodles, hearts of palm, and apples. Interesting, and definitely good. The chef could probably win Chopped with that dish, if not for the (desperately needed) time limit.
Another complimentary dish followed, this time a drunken strawberry chocolate soufflé with coconut rum. Have to admit, it was delicious. But you could have charged us for that dessert had the rest of the meal not taken several decades.
TL;DR: Make sure you BYOB and get drunk enough so you don’t notice the long wait. When the food finally comes, you’ll enjoy it.

This was the greatest dining experience I’ve had in my entire life. Words cannot describe the beauty, dedication, and love that came out of this restaurant. Before getting into my rant, I will just get into the specifics and how wonderful they all were.
Along with several complimentary dishes, a few of us ordered the «chef’s special» where a unique/​original dish was prepared right on the spot (something a bit more out of the ordinary.) Each dish was absolutely delicious. We loved it all so much that we asked to have an order of each dessert on the menu. The ambience was warm and loving, and our table was constantly given attention and made sure everything was provided.
The restaurant does not have an alcohol license so it’s BYOB. I’ve noticed many previous reviews emphasized a lot of criticism on this… We definitely did not mind. We brought a couple bottles of wine and enjoyed everything so much that we insisted the chef to have a glass as well.
Let me just say that I never really write Unilocal reviews, ever… but I could not do justice to the chef Nick without writing one immediately.
Our family arrived a little past nine and the chef was getting ready to close the place. Due to a family emergency he was forced to close the restaurant the night before and was preparing to close early just as we were arriving. Seeing that we showed up, the chef welcomed us in and served us despite being the only ones there.
Not only did he remain open for another couple hours to serve us, but he was a very humble, kind individual who made it far more than just a dinner. It was as if he was sitting at the table with us considering all the conversation we shared with him.
My family and I come from Los Angeles and we’ve been to all the great restaurants you can name. NOTHING, came close to this. Please do yourself a number and visit the restaurant if you are ever in Kauai. Do not listen to the criticism of BYOB or the length it took to prepare the food. This place is run by a small staff, but my gosh a very dedicated one. Length is not a negative, it’s dedication.
I will find the information to this chef and fly him out to cater my wedding.

I brought my mom to kauai for a mother/​daughter vacation, and after 9 days of delicious meals all across the island, when I asked her what her favorite meal was — she said, ‘honey, that lobster risotto at Infigo’s — by a mile.’
Infigo’s is impossible to find, but well worth the adventure. They opened late, and were training a new server — although the old server was even more late in arriving to his shift so the sweet new guy did the best he could for his very first night on the job until the scheduled server arrived.
This didn’t diminish the experience in the least — as we just sat tight, opened our wine, and the chef had two salads sent to our table — which was sweet.
I had the Chef’s challenge for an appetizer (mouth-​watering white fish) and the gnocchi with basil and sun dried tomatoes baked in.
Had I figured out about this place earlier into our vacation, they probably would have seen us a second time.
Living in SF, I’m very familiar with top notch dining, and while I was expecting to enjoy my meal (based on the Unilocal reviews), every course we enjoyed that evening was up to even San Francisco standards.

Literally the worst dining experience. No exaggeration. Don’t serve alcohol, food took an hour and a half an was very hit or miss, a small plate of vegetables was $ 40, and to top off our experience their credit card machine was down and you had to pay cash or check.
I have to feel bad for our waitress becuae she was filling in for someone else and kept coming over to our table embarrassed because our appetizers took an hour. She was attentive and nice, but I’m guessing there was only 1 chef bc with an empty restaurant, an appetizer shouldn’t take an hour plus.
Do not order the papaya shrimp salad (tasted bland and served with 3 small shrimps) or gnocchi (had no sauce and chewy without flavor). The lobster risotto was quite good, along with the chocolate sirloin. But it was absolutely not worth waiting 1.5 hrs.
They need to either hire another chef or only allow 3 customers at a time. I know this is hawaii and all and things are a lot slower paced over here but come on.

Aside from a couple choice locations, it’s tough to find high quality food in the North Shore at reasonable cost. My parents enthusiastically recommended this place not only because of their delicious food but also their BYOB policy. However, they did warn us that the service would likely be slow so we brought a bunch of wine and ordered waves of salads and appetizers to occupy us during the wait. It ended up taking awhile to get our food but it was within an acceptable range.
Three of four diners at our table ordered the chef’s challenge, I ordered the Chipotle sausage Ahi. My dish would have been great aside from the fish being overcooked. Major bummer — otherwise tasty. My dining guests got an assortment of lobster and fish cooked wonderfully with distinctive great flavors. We also ordered a spinach salad which was good but not great and some other tasty appetizers.
The setting was decent. You’re overlooking a pool out to the mountains. The interior has nice table clothes and place settings. Wine bottles are scattered around as decoration. Random swipes of colored paint fill the wall. It looks a bit funky and amateur but it’s still pleasant
This place has some rough edges to smooth out before getting a perfect rating but it has some promise worth checking out. 3.5

This place was excellent. We had a great meal here — ordering the «Chef’s challenge», which is basically what the chef wants to cook that night. You can choose beef, chicken or seafood. I chose seafood, naturally — and got a huge portion of seared ahi, with homemade ravioli. A great and unique meal; Jack was a great server as well.
Bring your own beer (or wine). They have no license, but are really loose about corkage.
Also,
The new phone number is (808) 631‑7282

I’d like to start out by saying that, overall, I enjoyed this meal. The food was tasty, and I always appreciate a BYOB restaurant (despite the unexpected corkage fee at Infigo’s). The ambiance is somewhat lacking, but that can certainly be overlooked.
However, the detail that has bothered me in the nearly five months since I ate at Infigo’s is the composition of the «lobster risotto.» As it turns out (I ordered the dish), there was neither lobster nor risotto involved. Though the dish tasted quite nice, the «lobster» turned out to be crawfish, and the «risotto» was rice — albeit in a nice sauce. If the dish had advertised itself as being crawfish-​topped rice, it would have been delightful; however, I have not been able to get over the feeling that whoever created the menu was trying to dupe diners.
I would by no means steer you away from Infigo’s: again, the meal was nice overall. However, I’d encourage you to be wary that the dish descriptions are not necessarily accurate, and the menu listings may attempt to pass as something they are not.

Went back to Infigo’s on Friday 1÷27÷2012 and had a different dining experience than our first time. First of all, the place was crowded (for them) … I think there were maybe three other couples ina restaurant that seats at least 80.
Lobster risotto wasn’t as good as our previous time … and it was presented differently. Last time it looked very elegant served with the shell of a lobster tail as a garnish. This time it was just a brown clump in the middle of a bowl. It tasted OK … a little salty … but not nearly as good as our first experience here.
We also had the ribs for an appetizer. Those were very tasty as metioned in other reviews.
Here’s where it starts to get weird. Before our appetizers came out, the waiter said he’d bring us bread. Risotto came and went … waiter said «still waiting on the bread» … then the ribs came and went. Waiter says «Bread is almost ready.» Bread finally arrives at the table (we’ve been there at least an hour already) and you would figure the bread would have been hot out of the oven since it was finally «ready.» The bread was tasty but hadn’t seen the inside of an oven in hours. Strange.
About the time the bread arrived, the waiter informed us that my wife’s selection of an entrée was not available. Why were we told this an hour after placing our order???
There is something strange about this place … the chef definitely has talent but this restaurant is like a turbocharged Porsche with one spark plug missing. They don’t do enough volume to generate consistency. It’s too bad. If this talented chef had enough customers this place would be better. I seriously wonder if they have a «food runner» who goes to Foodland when an order is placed to buy the ingredients, and if the grocery store doesn’t have what he needs, then an hour later your entrée is no longer available. It would also explain why bread that was baked hours earlier wasn’t «ready» yet.
Oh, I almost forgot. The live music on Friday night was painful. The girl kept hitting sour notes on the keyboard, and her voice was begging to be featured on an American Idol Disaster Audition highlight reel. A photographer walked in to take her picture. After several minutes of an obtrusive photo shoot, the photographer grabbed a microphone and started singing along. WTF???
Oh, I almost forgot … again. When we went to pay, they couldn’t get credit cards to process. Didn’t have slips to manually swipe card and run through later. I had to pay $ 120 tab with cash. This place is SOOOO ODD. Will give them one more chance in a few months … IF they are still there.

As much as I’d like to give them a higher rating because they do try quite hard, this is one place to be sure to miss in Princeville. I get the feeling they give their staff free meals for posting good reviews on Unilocal.
The ambiance is abysmal – looks like Lake Tahoe meets Ramada lobby.
The nicest way to describe the staff is «awkward». There is a lot of explanation required by them to explain why there are booze bottles as decoration all over the restaurant, but they don’t have a liquor license, as well as to explain the «chef’s challenge» on the menu – which simply means dinner mystery grab bag. They won’t tell you what it is, just order it and see what the cook felt like making. No thanks.
Oh – and they had a lovely lounge singer playing keyboard, but it was so loud for the 12 us in the restaurant (that’s how many people were there on a Saturday night, which should have been our first indication to look elsewhere) that we couldn’t hear ourselves speak.
All that, and for cafeteria quality food, it was $ 30 a plate.
Two words: skip it!

Delicious food! Great Service. Nice ambiance.
My husband and I came here on our last night in Kauai. I’d read the Unilocal reviews so I knew it was a little hard to find (as others have mentioned there is no signage). Upon arrival, we were greeted promptly and brought into their waiting area (two plush chairs between the two dining rooms). After waiting for less than five minutes, we were seated. Our waiter told us about the «Chefs Challenge.» We both got i, my husband seafood and meat for myself. We also ordered the pork slider to start. Fair warning… this is not a quick meal location. About 15 – 20 minutes later our appetizer came out. DELICIOUS. Another twenty minutes later out entrees arrived. I was stunned just looking at them. BEAUTIFUL presentation. I was even more pleased after the first bite. I had a bacon wrapped filet, mashed potatoes, asparagus and carrots. The seafood was Ahi filet on a bed of Asian noodles. The meat was perfection, moist perfectly medium rare and melted in my mouth. I don’t like seafood but my hubby assured me the ahi was just as delicious…
During the whole meal the wait staff was incedibley attentative, constantly refilling our water and wine glasses. It is BYOB (they have no liquor license) but there is an $ 7 corkage.
We finished up with two desserts (completely not necessary… one is more than sufficient). Chocolate soufflé and bananas foster. I loved that the soufflé had a bit of cinnamon to spice it up.
After an app, 2 entrees, 2 desserts, and corkage our bill came o $ 119. Not bad for a romantic evening out on an island.
I highly recommended this location for a special evening out.

What an amazing and delicious discovery! Infigos, which our waiter Chaz informed us means «to impress,» does just that! The soothing sounds of Harry Connick Jr. greeted the 3 of us as we entered the newly renovated dining room. Decorated in an eclectic but tasteful style featuring wine bottles signed by previous guests, celebrities and friends of the chef, Nick, the dining room had a warm, welcoming vibe. White table cloths and candles, and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the resort pool, help set the fine-​dining mood. Nick informed me that they have only been re-​opened since July 17, 2011, since renovating, and Chaz carefully explained the new menu to us.
The cuisine is hard to classify because Nick, the executive chef and owner, has cooked around the world to great acclaim. There are influences of Asian, Italian, Southern European, and of course Hawaiian. A framed article on the bar talks about his awards for «Best new restaurant on Maui 2007,» chef Roy (of Roy’s restaurants fame) as one of Nick’s mentors, and a scholarship at Kauai Community College Culinary program given in his honor.
The night we dined at Infigos, only 3 guys were there: Nick, in the kitchen; Chaz, our very attentive and friendly waiter; and another waiter who was also interested in our comfort. It is only these 3 men that make all the magic happen here. They are quick to establish there may be a wait for food, since the only cook in the kitchen is the executive chef himself. But we did not experience any wait that was unusual at all. The timing seemed perfect for the relaxed, fine dining setting. They do not have their liquor license yet, but you can bring your own bottle, no corkage fee. Infigos has a good selection of sodas, juices, and teas.
All 3 of us started with salads. My 13-​year old daughter and I each had the Green Papaya Salad ($ 9), and my husband had the House Salad ($ 7). I expected island-​size salad – small and sort of an after thought. Those thoughts went right out the window as soon as our salads arrived. They were huge, large enough for a light entrée. The green papaya salads were so, so fresh! Grated green papaya along with celery root and cilantro and house vinaigrette, on a bed of crisp organic local island greens. One of the menu items is the «Chefs Challenge:» you can tell them any meat, seafood, or menu item you like, and Nick will prepare it according to his whim based on what is fresh and local and seasonal.
For entrees, my husband had the Seafood pasta. The pasta was perfectly al dente and fresh, with a generous portion of seafood that tasted fresh and sweet. The preparation was light: an olive oil, sun-​dried tomato, garlic sauce enveloped tender pieces of shrimp, island fish, and slices of italian sausage. It was a truly generous portion, with enough left over for our picnic lunch on the beach tomorrow, a rarity for my usually clean-​plate husband.
My daughter opted for the house-​made gnocchi. Tonight’s preparation was with sun-​dried tomato and basil, topped with large shavings of Parmesan cheese. The gnocchi potato pillows were soft and fluffy, lightly coated in olive oil and tossed with generous portions of sun-​dried tomato and whole-​leaf fresh sweet Basil. A light yet well balanced dish.
I selected the herb-​crusted Opah (moon fish) for my entrée. This dish was unforgettable! This was the third time I had Opah in the last week – once at Brenneckes Beach Broiler, once at Roys in Poipu, and now at Infigos. It is a firm, mild, sweet white fish. Nick’s opah fish was served in a bed of sauteed spinach, so fresh and bright green, with capers and garlic and a side of mashed potatoes. Decadent and delicious, this dish reminded me of a cross between a meal in Italy and Kauai. So uniquely tasty.
Feeling very satisfied after 2 large courses, we passed on dessert. During the meal we were encouraged several times to get up, walk around, look at the signed wine bottle collection, and just to make ourselves at home. We found the hospitality here to be most warm and welcoming and genuine. The service was well-​paced and friendly. As we were walking out, I took a few minutes to compliment Nick on a fine meal. As I walked up to the open-​air kitchen, I saw Nick washing dishes – the executive chef! That is the kind of dedication he his putting into this gem of a Princeville restaurant, destined to be a destination.

Had another wonderful night here last night.
Such great food, great service, and great atmosphere.
Whenever my husband and I come here we actually sit back and have a romantic evening instead of just eating and going home.
We still have yet to order entrees. The Apps are so good that we just get a few different plates and share. Lobster risotto is always perfect. Last night we finished the night with Chocolate soufflé. AMAZING! it takes 20 min. to make so if you’re in a hurry order it while you are eating your entrees. We were not in a hurry se we just sat back drinking the wine we brought and listened to the great live music they had. Perfect night.

Went here w/​my family (14 year old daughter and wife) for my birthday dinner in Princeville. Although the service wasn’t perfect (which apparently poses an issue for other reviewers), there wasn’t any attitude from the waiters — just, oops, sorry I forgot that, let me get it for you. I don’t have a problem w/​that and it’s unfortunate that someone else apparently did (although I have wondered whether the 1* reviews might be from a competitor who is uncomfortable w/​a new higher-​end restaurant coming into Pricey Princeville).
More important: keep in mind that this is a new venture, and it could well be the owner’s first venture. Since he’s the cook, it’s probably pretty hard for him to know exactly what’s happening out on the floor (even though, as owner, he should make it a point to know). Realistically, though, I spoke w/​him afterward and our conversation was all about the food — it didn’t even occur to me to bitch about service errors b/​c the dinner had been fantastic.
Most important about Infigo’s is that the food was EXCELLENT, all the way round. We started w/​the lobster risotto and even the daughter tried and liked it. I had the seared Ahi, it was perfectly prepared, as was my wife’s mahi-​mahi and daughter’s seafood pasta. For dessert we had bananas foster, I was not disappointed.
Finally: not only did we not get charged corkage for the wine we brought, and the dessert was on the house b/​c it was my b/​day. In my experience, that’s not the kind of attitude or approach that justifies one star reviews.

The ambience is a little odd, but the food is amazing. Try the Chef’s Challenge; whatever it is won’t disappoint you.
We were recommended this restaurant-​without-​a-​sign by a fellow we met on the beach. I admit we were skeptical, but after our dinner I can confidently say that Infigo’s is worth taking a chance on.
As other reviewers have said, the ribs and gnocchi are fantastic. We had one Chef’s Challenge with beef and one with fish and they were terrific. I suggest you save room for dessert, because the bananas foster is tremendous.
Once the restaurant is better established, they really do need to work on the décor and vibe of the place. But in the end, it’s all about the food, and the food here is great.

Went there for an evening party, I have to admit the ribs were fantastic, but that’s pretty much the only highlight. It’s a disgrace to charge this much for stuff they want to call gourmet. We had to ask the server 3 times to uncork our bottle of wine, which we brought. BYOB. The service was awful, they were understaffed that night, only one waitress for about 6 – 7 tables. And only one cook so everything took a long time to be prepared. For the prices they charge 26 –30+$ for entreees, this is unacceptable to be understaffed. And I’ve had better service at Denny’s.
I had the Chef’s special meat dish, and it was just cheap noodles undercooked and piled with overcooked meat. I’ve had similar noodle dishes for 5 $ in San Francisco chinatown. Even if you were buying me dinner, I’d never go back here. Take your money down the road to better restaurants in Hanalei.

We discovered this place by accident, since we happened to be staying a hundred yards away. The restaurant is in the clubhouse of the Pali Ke Kua complex next to the pool. No sign is posted since their old sign did not meet Princeville’s standards and has to be redone.
They have live music every night beginning around 7pm. Also, beware that Infigo’s does not yet have a liquor license (coming in March) so BYOB — there is a corkage fee of $ 7.
This restaurant has tons of potential. The food is excellent. However, our biggest issue was the server on our first night. She was snippy, and looked at us like we were crazy when we remarked that some of our dishes did not match the menu (desserts in particular were missing listed sides/​flavors). What frustrated us the most was that no one mentioned there was a corkage fee. The server said this was standard and acted like I should have known. I know corkage fees are standard in restaurants which actually serve beverages, but since they didn’t have anything other than water, I figured this would be a freebie. Not a great way to treat your guests, guys! The server on our second night was much better, luckily.
Appetizers: For our starters on the first night, we had the Lobster Risotto and Chili Plum Ribs. On our second visit we tried the homemade gnocchi. The lobster risotto was actually shrimp risotto that night, but it was very tasty. Unlike most risottos, it was firm and not mushy, which is rare… definitely worth a try. The chili plum ribs are great! Just enough chili to create a nice warmth but deliciously sweet and savory, too. The homemade gnocchi were just ok, a bit too heavy and doughy but the sauce was good.
Dinner: Our first night at dinner we tried the Ahi Tuna and Chicken Saltimbocca. The Ahi was AWESOME. We actually came back and both had this the second night. The first night the ahi was almost completely raw with a wonderful sear (even cool in the middle still). The dish came with a fantastic sauce, tons of roasted garlic and fresh asparagus. Even the accompanying shrimp were perfectly cooked. On our second night, the ahi was considerably more cooked, so not quite as good. Definitely ask for it on the raw side! The Chicken Saltimbocca was a solid dish, very well cooked and not dry at all. A good alternative to fish. Also note that the chef is a bit heavy handed with the salt in his dishes… at times we would crunch into grains of salt. It made the dishes taste great but was occasionally overpowering for me, although my fiancé loved it.
Dessert: For dessert we had the bananas foster and chocolate soufflé our first night, and the chocolate mousse and crème brûlée our second night. The bananas foster was good but didn’t come with the advertised pomegranate candy. The chocolate soufflé was dry, more like a cake really and again, didn’t come with the advertised macnut fondue. The chocolate mousse was more like a thick pudding but still good and the crème brûlée was a little odd since it was pumpkin flavored with blueberries, but it tasted ok.
The chef offers ‘Chef Challenges’ in lieu of a nightly special. Basically, you tell the chef what type of meat you want (chicken, beef, seafood) and he prepares something on his own as a surprise. The biggest drawbacks to this are no substitutions and if you want seafood, you can’t specify the type of seafood. I don’t like shrimp, so I couldn’t do a seafood challenge. It’s honestly a fun idea but not very convenient in practice.
Overall, this restaurant specializes in tasty appetizers and entrees; would recommend finding dessert elsewhere. I really hope they get their service and menu issues in order, and that they are still here when we return!