Popular Kapaʻa Taqueria Evicted, Owners Promise Return to Kōloa

Monico’s Restaurant Bar and Taqueria unexpectedly closed after being evicted from its Kapaʻa location at 4-733 Kūhio Highway, Building 1. Posted on the front door were two notices, one an eviction notice and one stating, “These premises had been returned to the owner per county order.” Two court orders on the door showed an effective date of Nov. 24, and the restaurant announced its closure on social media on Dec. 19.

Owners Monico and Kathleen Hernandez-Martinez have operated the family restaurant since 2009 and built a loyal local clientele. In a social media post the owners apologized to customers, writing, “We sincerely apologize to all customers who had upcoming reservations and plans with us. We know this disruption is disappointing, and we are truly sorry for the inconvenience and frustration this has caused.” The post also thanked patrons and set expectations for a return, saying, “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for being part of our journey. See you all in 2026 at our new location in Kōloa, Kaua’i.”

The Hernandez-Martinez family described a series of economic pressures that contributed to the closure, citing lost business during the COVID pandemic, rising food costs, and a high lease rate. “From COVID to the large corporations, it’s been hard to compete,” Kathleen Hernandez-Martinez said. “Tourists now land and go straight to Costco, or Walmart, to buy groceries and cook in their rooms. We’re competing with other Mexican restaurants in Kapaʻa, so it’s been tough.” She added that negotiations with the landlord did not succeed, saying, “We went through our lawyers, and we lost. In the long run, we lost,” and she said she hoped to “tie up any loose ends on that property promptly.”

The building is owned by Borales Properties, LLC, which is represented by Attorney Shiraishi Sherman. A staff member at Sherman’s law firm said Borales Properties did not want to comment at this time. Local patrons responded with surprise and support, sending more than 50 messages on Monico’s Instagram.

Beyond the immediate disruption for regular customers and for a small local business that has operated for 16 years, the eviction underscores broader economic challenges for Kauai small businesses. The combination of thin margins, high rents, volatile input costs, and changing tourist behavior raises questions for local policy makers about commercial zoning, lease mediation, and support for long running community establishments as the island’s economy continues to adjust post pandemic.