Anahola – Top 13 places for music shops13 recommended music shops in Anahola

We visited both shops on Kauai-one near Poipu and the other in Kapaa. Great experience X2! These ukuleles are amazing and worth the money-they are well built and have an extraordinary sound quality. Also, my salesperson helped entertain my kids while I shopped-she played music for them and (4 and 2) and they loved it! I was playing my new soprano tonight with my now 3 year old and realized that I need to shop for another one…. Thank you, Kamoa Ukulele

What a beautiful store! You feel the Aloha spirit within seconds. Sam had the perfect ukulele for me. He knew exactly what I need. I‘m from Switzerland and had since several years a cheap ukulele. Now I got a upgrade. I bought it 2 weeks ago and I’m still happy.
If you already have a ukulele, take a picture of it with you.

I have always wanted to get a ukulele lesson and a ukulele in Hawaii. Such a beautiful place to achieve this bucket list wish. Gorgeous ukes and wonderful owners!! Sam was talented, patient and fun! Mahalo Sam!

Was excited to stop by and had purchased a ukulele for the 1st time at Kamaka in Honolulu 2 yrs prior. I let the owner know I was an amateur, and as I played, he assumed I’d learned my strumming pattern on YouTube…but I listen to the music I like and interpret as an artist. He told me about the free lessons he offers. I said, “Let me try playing this song and you can tell me what to improve.” He says, “I don’t need to hear it; I can tell you right now.” I was enjoying playing and felt a bit disappointed. But I listened as he told me I was playing much too harshly, audiences do not like that, compared it to fingernails on a chalkboard, and told me as my audience it was basically terrible for him to listen to. I replied that he is like 2 feet away. I also agreed I could try softening my strumming, but his ex.of very soft, slow strumming did not fit the style of the song I was going for. I explained that, and he then told me that his dad had to leave the room b/c of my harsh playing. I said, “If he needs to leave that is his opinion and doesn’t offend me”(although it did make me feel bad!) I teach piano students and can’t imagine saying my husband had to leave the room b/c of the way they were playing the piano!! I guess there’s a reason the lessons are free! He could’ve said something positive and nicely asked, “What if you tried softening your strumming a bit?” I would’ve felt and responded totally differently. I was happy to take feedback but was there also for the enjoyment of trying out the instruments. This quickly dissipated through the interaction. He needs to work on his approach with a potential customer! I would never want to take lessons here, let alone purchase an instrument. Side note:, instead of starting out by explaining all the info about the instruments and knowledge, maybe could try asking what I’m looking for in an instrument. I highly recommend Kamaka Hawai’i, Inc. in Honolulu, because they treated me very kindly and respectfully.
*Response: His answer is unnecessarily scathing and of course refuses to take any responsibility or acknowledge my honest experience.
A. Don’t talk about my daughter; barely worth replying to; she was not crying because she wanted to try a ukulele. Has cried on and off during our trip when tired, and we both try to console her. Sad he’s even trying to bring up parenting to throw in our faces! Wow…no we were not looking for ukulele lessons for her but thanks for the offer. I told her about egg rolls…
B. There was 1 lady worker in the room who was quiet, and she was actually grooving a little after he walked out for a bit ;), & maybe 1-2 other people milling around, so I’d hardly say I was “entertaining” the store. As any musician can understand, we enjoy going in to a music store and trying out instruments for learning and enjoyment..
C. He has no understanding or care about the frustration that I’m expressing here. I feel like he’s not used to sharing knowledge then listening to a slightly different response. He drives his point home at the expense of a person’s feelings. He wants to paint me as an obnoxious person who was there to brag on my talents and annoy everyone, though I berated my skills sev. times, then he says all these ppl walked out who weren’t even there. Keep in mind this was a short episode: I was talking with him, trying to figure out some chords, playing a couple short songs in a virtually empty store, until my terrible playing completely emptied it?
D. This was not an official “lesson” to my knowledge. I was there to try out instruments and be free to do so /ask for input
E. I took his advice by playing a song again more quietly, to which he said it was much better, so again his story is not adding up. Also, at that point, I was the one who showed myself to the door!
F. I was told this is common behavior for store owners/employees on the island, but we did have some nice experiences! I’m sure others have enjoyed this store, but I did not, and feel it is worthwhile to share my experience, even if it means I’m berated vs. validated once again in return.

The vibes at this shop are immaculate. So much so that when I was having a bad day, simply visiting the shop—and interacting with the workers there—managed to completely uplift my mood for the rest of the day.

I had the best experience there. Excellent customer service. One of the guys working there even offered to tune the cheap ukulele I was carrying around. I bought a few things there too that I definitely don’t regret buying. I highly recommend going to this shop.

Beautiful and intentional store, I love stopping in here!

This store and the employees have my support…awesome attitude and meaning behind the products they sell…highly recommend going in and talking with them and buying something meaningful to you

Greta little bakery

The best place to eat lunch and dinner ‼️ ‼️

Great selection of local stores

Got some lunch from here, would go back again

Third Thursday at ANAHOLA Market 5pm-9pm. Fun time. Live music, sometimes open mic, crafts, jewelry, Indian food, etc… There are stores that are there everyday, including a surf shop, funky thrift store, art gallery & clothing store..

Best chicken cooked on far end. Great thrift store. Its very local so few activities happen, heard big drumming other day. Food is local. Just local folks with there special local things. Embrace the land your on… With the meaning of Aloha…

Terrible place .Highway robbery. Built illegal by corrupt government Grant’s. Intendened to help native Hawaiians. In reality they only help take people’s money and degrade Hawaiian people.

I have never attended the venue but I have run across the stand owner known as “Lady Luck” or Rachel who does/did sell her products out of a pink school bus. She harassed my friend on Facebook after she lost her child and said atrocious things about her husband. Be careful who you buy your flowers from. Some people surround themselves with beautiful things to mask the ugliness inside their souls..

Great. Got the Homestead special Saimin. Delicious.

Yay for supporting Hawaiian business while eating a fantastic local beef burger with onion rings. Support Hawaiian Business.

I one local and as one of my favorite place fo eat. Ono food, good price and good service! No can go wrong wit dat !

This place is fantastic
It has an amazing vibe and NOT what you’d think from the outside

True hidden gem!

Fish and chips were very good but the saiman did not taste very fresh hence the lower rating.

Very pleasant experience at the Anahola Cafe. A number of shops and live music on the last Saturday of each month (I am told) We had Ethiopian food with authentic ingera made with 100% teff. Teff is the authentic flour used in Ethiopia and hard to get in the US. The food was good. The place is under development and I am looking forward to more food and artisanal places there.

How do u call this place

2 stars for the onion rings. Onion rings were good. Burger was way below average. Noodles tasted just like store bought ramen. It was noisy because they were hosting some kind of party behind a sheet in an adjoining room. Food took forever to come out and the person taking our order was not friendly. I’d find somewhere else if I had to do it again.

Not my cup of tea. We were being adventurous and sought out lesser known places to eat. After it had 4.5 stars from yelp! Should have turn and run when we see flies hovering over food. They didn’t have much of what we wanted to try so we order regular saimin and it was blah. Broth was so plain, not enough other ingredients, just lots of noodle. Orders were cooked up wrong and took a long time to get. The entire meal the flies were swarming. We couldn’t run fast enough…. oh and bad omen when bathroom does not have soap or dryer or paper towel.

We shopped around Kauai for ukulele and this is far the best prices and selections in the island. But not just that, the best service and full of ‘ohana spirit. We arrived late and they waited for us after store hours. We weren’t pressure in any way and they answered all our questions. They let us play the ukes and made sure that we have the sound that we were looking for. We ended up purchasing a Kamaka concert and a tenor Kamaka the very next day. Much mahalo to Kawika and J Kauilani, you guys are the best!

Great service, super knowledgeable and friendly staff. Really appreciated the patience and eduction on which uke to choose. And extra plus for local Kauai sightseeing tips !

Lots of unique locally made ukuleles.

Scotty’s music was awesome and treated me well!

Great selection and service

They know what they sell. Helpful staff. Competitive pricing

Patient and courteous service. May not be the cheapest available but they might have something in stock where your local dealer may not (which was our case) but it is nice to have someone explain to you things and also let you try the different ukeleles vs an online store. Do be aware that buying a ukelele in Hawaii does NOT qualify as a free carry-on on any airline as the sales staff mentioned.

31 year old Male Staff employee took advantage of me(16 year old). Told me a guitar was 600 dollars retail was 400. Made the mistake of buying it, looked it up later and it was 300 dollars. I knew it was my mistake too. Definitely a store you cannot trust

We were looking for a ukulele for our son in Utah, and poked into this store. The owner was so kind and patient with us. We not only walked out with a really nice Ukulele but also a new friend.

Great little store dedicated to music and yarn crafts.

This place is great! I didn’t have to ask anyone if I could play something hanging on the wall. This place gave me a feeling that I could just hang out all day. Mostly ukulele, but a nice selection for sure. We will be back next time we visit!

Lots of pretty ukuleles. But expensive.

What a cool place. Fantastic people

During our trip to Kauai we took Ukulele lessons here and the staff was very knowledgeable. The aesthetics of the place were very low key (string lights, small stage) and I loved the relaxed ambiance.

Wanted to check this place out. Even though the doors were open the lady was very dismissive shooing us out of the store said come back around 10:45 and said actually 11 is better. I guess I won’t be buying anything here as they have no interest in new customers.

The store hours listed on Google are not accurate – they do NOT open at 11AM. I was there today a few minutes after 11, and the lights were still off and doors locked. I hung out for a bit, but at 11:15 the doors were still locked. No clue what time they actually open

Don’t waste your time. Picked up a guitar, played for 2 mins before asked to “play quietly.” So that she could make a call. No one else was in the store.

Ron is so helpful. The instruments are beautifully made. And they sound great.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Kalaheo Music and Strings while vacationing in Kauai, and I must say it was an extraordinary experience from start to finish. From the moment my family and I stepped foot into the store, we were greeted with warm smiles and genuine hospitality by the owners, Ron and Lawrie.

The customer service at Kalaheo Music and Strings is simply outstanding. Ron and Lawrie went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and took the time to answer all of our questions. Their knowledge and passion for music were evident, and it was clear that they genuinely cared about helping us find the perfect instrument.

Speaking of instruments, the store boasts an impressive selection of ukuleles, among other strings. As an avid ukulele collector, I was thrilled to find a wide variety of options, each displaying exceptional craftsmanship and quality. With Ron’s guidance, I found a ukulele that spoke to me, and the purchasing process was smooth and effortless.

One aspect that truly impressed me was the shipping service provided by Kalaheo Music and Strings. As I couldn’t take the ukulele with me right away, Ron and Lawrie arranged for it to be shipped to my home. To my delight, it arrived in record time, and I was blown away by the meticulous packaging that ensured its safe journey. It’s evident that they take great care in handling and delivering their instruments.

Overall, my experience at Kalaheo Music and Strings was nothing short of exceptional. Ron and Lawrie are not only knowledgeable and passionate about their craft but also genuinely caring and attentive to their customers. Their dedication to providing an outstanding shopping experience is commendable.

If you’re in Kauai and have a love for music or are in search of a high-quality instrument, I highly recommend paying a visit to Kalaheo Music and Strings. They have an excellent selection, incredible customer service, and they go the extra mile to ensure your satisfaction. It’s no wonder they have such a stellar reputation in the local community. Five stars all the way!

The owners of this place are so great!! They had an amazing selection of instruments and ukeleles. They also are amazing at answering all musical questions and helped us find our perfect ukeleles for a reasonable price.

I found this place to be hard to shop at. Due to Covid there are plastic screens up almost all along the counter. The workers while trying to helpful left me feeling very defeated. They do give good guidance. Make sure it is your first stop in your ‘ukulele shopping or you may find what they say contradicting what others say.

Lots of ukelele stuff (naturally) but a lot of accessories that I have never seen before like jelly caps for your fingers so if you’re a beginner you’re fingers won’t hurt as much. A very vast selection of ukeleles and you’re even able to take lessons!

The clerk was not very friendly. We did end up getting a UKE but from another place. Nice selection of instruments.

Was looking for a ukulele while in Hawaii, and thought this was a good place to try. Sadly, the staff was rude and literally all of the products are behind the counters so when the staff isn’t being helpful… good luck seeing if the ones you like feel or play nicely. On top of that, the store is tiny. Many better I Keller and music stores on Kauai that I’ve found after stopping here. Nicer people, better prices, and you can actually try a few chords without being hassled. Save your time, these people don’t want your money.

The woman I spoke with was very kind and helpful, however the gentleman there was rude and dismissive. After making a purchase I was told to leave the store. I won’t be doing any more business here.