Bubba Burgers Kapaa is one of, if not the best, place on Kauai to grab a burger. This local restaurant has been in the business of slinging beef patties since 1936 and what makes them so special and so beloved is that those beef patties are and have always been made from 100% fresh ground Kauai cattle.
You will find Bubba Burgers Kapaa located in the village of Kapaa just off of the triangular corner of Lehuna St. and Kuhio Highway and just around the corner from the Niu St. parking lot for Kapaa Beach. In fact, many locals will grab some burgers to go to enjoy on the beach or opt to finish off a long day at the beach with burgers and fries at Bubba Burgers Kapaa.
Bubba Burgers Kapaa is an incredibly welcoming place where customers are sure to feel that aloha spirit. There’s a massive porch that you’ll step onto before entering the bright and cheery interior. Food orders are taken and served counter-style. So step on up to the line and wait your turn to give the cheery person at the counter your order. They will take your name and so once your order’s up and ready, a quick shout will let you know it’s time to grab it and find your place to enjoy the meal — whether that’s inside, on the patio, out on the beach, or somewhere else entirely.
Now, it is important to note that while this is a fast-casual burger shop, do not confuse it with mainland burger chains. Bubba Burgers Kappa goes really hard with the quality, and they deliver upon it.
All of the burgers at Bubba Burgers Kapaa are fully from Kauai grass-fed beef. They come served with mustard, house-made relish, and diced onions with the option for customers to add lettuce and tomato, but against their recommendation. That’s right, Bubba Burger Kapaa doesn’t recommend lettuce and tomato, but that’s due to their own focus on quality. This restaurant specifically advises against it because lettuce and tomato are products that must be shipped in from the mainland and thereby the crew at Bubba Burgers doesn’t have any control for quality, such as they do with each and every other product on their menu.
That menu is pretty diverse for a place that brands itself on burgers.
Non-meat lovers will appreciate Bubba Burgers Kapaa having a Beyond Burger that truly tastes like a traditional burger but is 100% plant-based and vegan.
Bubba Burgers Kapaa also has a Chicken Sandwich, a couple of salad options, corn dogs, a whole lot of special burger options, fries, and milkshakes. Their milkshakes are a particularly great item to get to cool down after a long day in the Hawaiian sun.
Note that because they are so heavily focused on quality and do purchase many of their products from local farms, prices at Bubba Burgers Kappa are going to be above average for what some might expect from a burger shop. The basic burger begins at $5, which is a 1/6 lb patty and most of their more popular burger items are between $8 and $10 with a side of fries at $3.25.
Insider Tips:
-Currently, you can enjoy a seat on that large front patio and enjoy looking across an empty lawn of green grass to see the ocean. This is one of the few places in Kauai where you can enjoy a good meal with oceanfront views.
-Really, avoid the lunch rush. Bubba Burgers Kappa is incredibly popular for all the reasons we have listed above, but that popularity does mean that they often get overwhelmed during peak lunch hours. An overwhelmed restaurant often means you suffer in service and quality. So for the best experience, try to go during off-hours; such as between 2 and 4 pm.
-Not in the Kapaa area, but still wanting to try the deliciousness that Bubba Burgers Kapaa has to offer? Check out the other location in Poipu!