Apr 28th, 2008
How to Find the Best Maui Restaurants
After visiting Kauai and Oahu’s restaurants, let’s continue our restaurant tour of Hawaii with a visit to Maui. Since I’ve had the opportunity to visit all the islands, I’d have to say that Maui has some of the best restaurants in Hawaii. On top of the ono (delicious) food, many of Maui’s restaurants also have outstanding ocean front views. That’s definitely a bonus when you are on vacation!
So, how do you find the best restaurants in Maui? It’s really not that difficult. There’s lots of great resources that we’ll explore here. So, let’s take a look.
TripAdvisor
Hundreds of TripAdvisor members have reviewed and rated Maui restaurants. You’ll find a mixture of reviews written by local residents as well as visitors. I’ll organize TripAdvisor reviews by geography and concentrate on the areas where you’ll likely be staying or sight-seeing.
West Maui Restaurants (includes Kapalua, Kaanapali, and Lahaina)
South Maui Restaurants
Central Maui Restaurants
East Maui
- Paia Restaurants
- Hana Restaurants (FYI - This list is lacking reviews.)
Upcountry Maui
Guidebooks
- Frommer’s ratings of Maui restaurants. This is an interactive list that you can sort by rating, price, cuisine, and neighborhood.
- Fodor’s also has an interactive list of Maui restaurants. In addition to their own ratings, they have incorporated user ratings.
Other Resources
- Most recent (Winter 2007) Maui No Ka Oi magazine readers’ picks organized. in a number of excellent categories. (If you’re research time is limited, I’d stick with this list.)
Go Visit Hawaii Picks
The following restaurants are ones that I particularly like. (Just a reminder, I’m not compensated in any form for choosing these restaurants. I like these restaurants based on my experience.)
Restaurants with an outstanding view: Maui has many, many great restaurants with lovely 
views. Two restaurants that have particularly outstanding views are Kula Lodge in the Upcountry (especially perfect for breakfast after watching Haleakala sunrise), Plantation House Restaurant in Kapalua (especially good value at breakfast and lunch).
Best beach front restaurant where you can dig your toes in the sand: Barefoot Bar of the Hula Grill on Kaanapali Beach.
Best over-hyped restaurant, but I still like it: Mama’s Fish House in Paia - they have very good food on a beach front setting. It is a bit pricey, though. Their seafood is so fresh that the menu changes daily to tell you what fishing boats delivered the day’s catches. It’s easy to over order here, so beware of that for your waistline and wallet’s sake. To avoid crowds, I like dining here either very early or very late in evening. See my review on Mama’s Fish House.
Most beautiful setting for a good though expensive lunch: The Beach House on DT Fleming Beach in Kapalua (at the Ritz-Carlton). The beach is so beautiful, I don’t mind paying for the view.
Best All Around - Kimos in Lahaina has a very nice setting with a good ocean view. It’s good for both families and couples.
Best Place for Local Breakfast or Lunch: Honolua Store in Kapalua. This store is good for picnic supplies, too.
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I know that there are several nice Maui fans who read Go Visit Hawaii. (Ahem, attention Kris and David!) So, please chime in with your favorite places to dine in Maui.
There are a couple of restaurants that I wouldn’t recommend to friends and family. So I’ll post those in the comments.
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9 Responses to “How to Find the Best Maui Restaurants”
Here are a couple restaurants I would avoid:
- Rusty Harpoon at Whalers Village in Kaanapali - neither the food or the service has been good here.
- Swan Court breakfast buffet at the Kaanapali Hyatt. This place felt like grand central station.
I know it would never make your list, but Bubba Gumps in Lahaina is on my list of picks. Yeah it’s cheesy, but it’s over the water and they have great coconut shrimp.
Run, Forest run!
Ha! Andy - have you ever met a coconut shrimp that you didn’t like?
I might start a new blog - ICanHasCoconutShrimp.com.
I second your thoughts on the Rusty Harpoon. If you happen to be on Maui on a Saturday during College Football season and want to make friends with a few new drinking buddies while your wife’s having a spa day at the Westin, than go for it. If you’re looking for a nice dinner, forget it.
In fact, turn around, Leilani’s is right behind you.
And as for our favorites, Leilani’s is probably the best in Whalers Village if you happen to be staying in that area. We also like the fun vibe at Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahaina and head over to BJ’s Pizzeria (also in Lahaina) when we’re homesick for some Chicago style pizza.
We have to confess, though, that while we are Hawaiians at heart, we aren’t too fond of seafood, which I imagine puts us in the minority. We did stop at Kimo’s for the first time last week and it was a very nice atmosphere as mentioned here. Plenty of seating for larger parties, too (reservations for larger groups a good idea).
Now, for a little plug for our favorite resort in Ka’anapali, the Sheraton Maui Resort. If you happen to be in the area and want to plan a very special evening, check out their website for the Dinner Under the Stars reservation. While it will set you back a few hundred dollars, we did it last year for our anniversary and it was absolutely unforgettable. **chills** Truly magical.
Last, but not least, the Aloha Mixed Plate behind the Lahaina Cannery Mall was a great find. Some great local food and some decent prices. Definitely would recommend it for lunch, especially before a day of shopping on Front Street.
Hi Kris - thanks for adding your recommendations. We like Leilani’s, too. We tend to go into seafood overload when we go to Hawaii.
Regarding watching college football….I’d definitely choose the football over a spa treatment. I’m definitely a football chick.
Hi Sheila, you asked about our favorite Maui dining spots. We don’t dine out all that often when we’re in the Islands. When we do, our tastes are pretty simple. Here’s a list of a few of our favorite Maui places.
Penne Pasta Cafe:
180 Dickenson St., Lahaina
Reasonably priced Italian food, including wine, served in fair portions. Order at the counter and they’ll serve you at your indoor or sidewalk table. Our favorite is the baked penne. Interestingly this place is owned by the same people who own Maui Taco. $8 to $15.
Peggy Sue’s:
Azeka Mauka Center, Kihei
Burgers, fries, chicken, hotdogs, fish, etc., all served up in a 1950’s style diner atmosphere. The highlight of the place for us is the juke box full of oldies. Get there early, the place is small and it fills up fast. $10-$15
Makawao Garden Cafe (Formerly Cafe O’lei):
3669 Baldwin Ave, Makawao
The menu is vegetarian friendly with an assortment of sandwiches, soups and salads, all on the lighter side. Our favorite is their great crab sandwich. The setting is a quaint little outdoor patio. Just shoo the chickens aside and pick a table under an umbrella. A great place for lunch. $8 to $15.
Well, not an ocean view at any of these places, but you can always get the food to go.
David
PS - And how could I forget McDonalds and those great fried taro pies.
Hi David - thanks for your recommendations. They all sound tasty and light on the wallet - two very good restaurant qualities!
I like the taro pies, too. There is something kind of fascinating about eating something that shade of purple.