Restaurants

Mary Joan’s Maui Restaurants Review

Restaurants on Maui, updated March 2016

KIHEI

  1. Cuatro Restaurant – 1881 South Kihei Road (Kihei Town Centre). A very small restaurant but excellent Latin- Asian-European food. We ate there several times this year and it was always really good. 808-879-1110. BYOB.
  1. Sensei – Japanese and Sushi Bar – Kihei Town Centre – 1881 South Kihei Road. This is our favourite spot for sushi. You usually need a reservation. 808-879-0004. On Open Table.
  1. Sarento’s on the Beach – 2980 South Kihei Road. Open for breakfast and dinner. We had an excellent dinner here again this year. We got a table on the lanai, the view was wonderful and we thought the food and wine was very good. It’s expensive but very good. 808-875-7555. On Open Table.
  1. Sugar Beach Bake Shop – 61 South Kihei Road. Still a great bake shop next to ABC Store. They serve great Key Lime Pie and banana bread with nut crust. We tried the bran muffins this year and loved them. We also ate their mango bread but had to order that ahead. The coffee is great too. It’s a bit expensive but we thought it was worth it.
  1. The Kihei Cafe – 1945 South Kihei Road. Good breakfast and lunch spot. This is very casual and you might overlook it as it looks pretty grungy. You can sit outside and eat and the food is good, especially breakfast. It is on the side of a busy road so it is noisy. They are open from 5 am to 3 pm.
  1. Tiki Lounge – Kalama Village, 1913 South Kihei Road. The best Lava Flows in Maui. Very good pizza.
  1. Coconut Fish Café – 1279 South Kihei Road. A café with great fish burgers and fish tacos. Very casual. Best for take-out. 808-875-9979.
  1. Five Palms Restaurant – 2960 Kihei Road, Kihei in the Mana Kai Resort. It’s on the main floor of the condo development and they have okay food and great ocean views. We always sit on the patio. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food has really gone downhill but the view is really great.  Maybe a better bet for a drink in the bar at sunset. 808-879-2607. On Open Table.
  1. Nalu’s – 1280 South Kihei Road, at Azeka’s Mall. A new restaurant that is open breakfast, lunch and dinner. Very casual but good. I tried the Ahi Club sandwich which was delicious. 808-891-8650. No reservations.
  1. Vietnamese Cuisine – Azeka Place 1 – #107, 1280 South Kihei Road, Kihei. Very good Vietnamese food at good prices. Lunch and dinner. 808-875-2088.
  1. Horhito’s Mobile Taqueria (food truck) – 1942 South Kihei Road. Very good fish tacos and wraps. Good prices.
  1. Mill House – at the Tropical Plantation, 1670 Honoapiilani Hwy. New this year. We went once for dinner and it was good; lovely setting. Worth a try. 808-270-0333. On Open Table.
  1. Café O’Lei – 2439 South Kihei Road. The food is good here but it is very noisy. They are open for lunch and dinner. 808-891-1368. They have another restaurant at the Dunes Golf Course.
  1. Oceanside – 300 Maalaea Road. In the Maalaea Shopping Centre by the Aquarium. New this year. We went twice for dinner, sat on the lanai overlooking the harbor and had a very good meal. Reasonable prices. 808-868-3481. On Open Table.

WAILEA

  1. Gannon’s – 100 Wailea Golf Club Drive. Very good food, expensive, and a fabulous view. Ask for a table on the lanai. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the food at dinner is by far the best. On Friday night they play very loud music in the bar and it is hard to visit, even on the lanai. Reservations 808-875-8080. On Open Table.
  1. Spago – Four Seasons Resort, 3900 Wailea Alanui. Excellent food, but very expensive. We don’t usually go to the hotels but we had a very good meal. Again ask for the lanai and a view of the ocean. Reservations 808- 879-2999. On Open Table.
  1. Mala at Wailea – Wailea Beach Marriott Resort. Open for breakfast and dinner but we’ve only tried dinner. Good food, quite expensive. We sat on the lanai and had a wonderful view of the sunset. Unfortunately if your party is larger than 4 people, you get stuck in the corner of the lanai by the wall. 808-875-9394. On Open Table. This restaurant will be closing May 2016. It may move to another location.
  1. Migrant – Wailea Beach Marriott Hotel. Small plates like tapas. We sat on the lanai rather than inside which is really just a bar. We had good food. 808-875-9394. On Open Table. They will be moving in May 2016. The new location not set yet.
  1. Monkey Pod –It’s very noisy inside, much like Earls. This year we ate there once and had good food, but eat on the lanai, especially during happy hour, as it is really noisy.  10 Wailea Gateway Place. 808-891-2322. On Open Table.
  1. Tommy Bahamas – in the Wailea Shopping Centre. Very good food, fairly expensive. A nice lanai but no view. At night the restaurant is very noisy so eat on the lanai. 808-875-9983. On Open Table.
  1. Ferraro’s Bar and Restaurant – We tried this restaurant for the first time in 2011 and had a wonderful meal on the lanai with a great view of the ocean. We went back in 2012 and had another great meal. We ate there again this year and the food was mediocre. The view is wonderful however so maybe go for lunch as dinner wasn’t worth the expense. Very expensive. Four Seasons Hotel Wailea. 808-874-8000. On Open Table.
  1. Pita Paradise – 10 Wailea Gateway Place –A very casual spot and we always sit on the lanai. We have only gone for dinner and always enjoy it as the food is very good. 808-879-7177.
  1. Matteo’s Osterio – 161 Wailea Ike Place. This Italian restaurant is by the tennis courts in Wailea a bit hidden from the main road. Not to be confused with Matteo’s Pizza. We sat on the lanai and had excellent food and wine again this year. It’s pretty noisy inside. 808-891-8466. On Open Table.
  1. Capiche – in the Wailea Hotel. 555 Kaukahi Street. We ate here several years ago and had a bad experience but we thought we would try it again. We had a wonderful table on the lanai with a great view of Wailea and the ocean. The food was excellent as was the service. It is very, very expensive though. We didn’t think it was worth the price. 808-879-2224. On Open Table.
  1. The Market by Capiche– This market just opened in the Wailea Gateway Place under Monkey Pod. It’s a great deli with local cheese and they make good sandwiches and paninis. Worth a try. 808-879-2433.
  1. Nick’s Fishmarket – Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel, 4100 Wailea Alanui Drive. I took this restaurant off my list a few years ago, but we tried it again this year and it was very good. Get a table on the lanai. Very Expensive. 808-879-7224. On Open Table.

KAHULUI and WAILUKU

  1. Maui Coffee Roaster – 444 Hana Hwy in Kahului. They have good beans and coffee and good food for casual breakfast and lunch.
  1. Maui Oma Coffee – 296 Alamaha Street, Kahului. We discovered this coffee roaster this year and now think it’s the best coffee on Maui. There is no café, but you can buy beans or ground coffee. The price is good too.
  1. Down to Earth Health Food Store and Take-Out – Very good health food grocery store and great take-out. 305 Dairy Road, Kahului. 808-877-2661.
  1. Bistro Casanova – 33 Lono Ave, Kahului. Very good Italian food at pretty good prices. One of the only Italian restaurants on the island that we like. No view however. 808-873-3650. On Open Table.
  1. Zippy’s – 15 Hookele Street, Kahului. Don’t eat here but do order the malasadas (donuts). They make them to order and they are delicious.
  1. Whole Foods – 70 Kaahumanu Avenue, Kahului. This is a grocery store, but they carry excellent produce, healthy foods and a very good deli. It’s expensive, but well worth a look.
  1. Tamura’s Fine Wine and Liquors – 199 Dairy Road, Kahului. We discovered this wine store across from Sports Authority on Dairy Road. Excellent selection of wine, the best I’ve seen on Maui.
  1. 808 on Main Street – 2051 Main Street, Wailuku. Main Street Bistro closed in 2015 and was replaced with 808 on Main Street. The food is good but not great. Good for a burger or panini and very casual. Open Monday to Saturday 10 am to 8 pm. 808-242-1111.
  1. A Saigon Café – 1792 Main Street, Wailuku (under the highway overpass). Very good Vietnamese food and the prices are good. 808-243-9560.

UPCOUNTRY

  1. Hali’imaile General Store – Hali’imaile Road, 4 miles up Haleakala Highway, left at Hali’imaile sign, continue 1.5 miles. Probably my favourite restaurant. Excellent food, expensive. We have gone for lunch and dinner for over 20 years. No view but it’s a fun spot. We like to sit in the front not the back room. Reservations 808-572-2666. On Open Table.
  1. Grandma’s Coffee House – 153 Kula Highway. This coffee and lunch spot is upcountry on the Kula Highway actually overlooking Wailea. Very good coffee, good lunches and great snacks. It’s a lovely drive to get there.
  1. T. Kamoda’s Store and Bakery – 3661 Baldwin Avenue, Makawao. If you are out for a drive in the early morning this store sells fresh donuts on a stick as well as malasadas (Portuguese filled donuts). They sell out pretty quickly.
  1. Kula Lodge – 15200 Haleakala Highway. We stopped in here for breakfast several years ago but had not been back. We had a good lunch there this year, salad and pizza, and enjoyed the wonderful view overlooking Wailea. They have their own wood burning pizza oven. 808-878-2517. On Open Table.
  1. Kula Bistro – 4566 Lower Kula Road, Kula. Very casual place for lunch. Also has a bakery. Good food. 808- 871-2960.
  1. Market Fresh Bistro – 3620 Baldwin Avenue #102A, Makawao. If you are in Makawao buying donuts at Kamoda’s, stop for lunch at this restaurant. There is seating inside and out and the food is local and very fresh. The coffee is good too. 808-572-4877.
  1. O’O Farm – 651 Waipoli Road, Kula. We went on a farm tour and had lunch at O’O Farm this year. It was really fun and the lunch was delicious. You need to make a reservation. The tour and lunch runs from 10:30 am to 2:00 pm. It is $58 per person. BYOB.  808-667-4341.

PAIA and HAIKU

  1. Hana Ranch Provisions ( formerly Dazoo and Moana Cafe and Bakery) – 71 Baldwin Avenue, Paia. If you are heading out for the day and end up at Paia (the beginning of the Hana Highway), this is a great lunch spot. You don’t need a reservation and the food is very good. This restaurant has changed hands a lot but is even better now. We had dinner there this year as well as lunch and the food was excellent. Paia is a very fun town to wander around – very artsy. 808-868-3688. On Open Table.
  1. Mana Foods – 49 Baldwin Avenue, Paia. Our favourite grocery store. They also have excellent take-out food. The best cinnamon buns by the cash register.
  1. Mama’s Fish House – 799 Poho Place, Paia. It’s just out of Paia on the Hana highway. You need a reservation for sure. The food is very good but very expensive and I think a bit over rated. It would be a good place to go for lunch because you can really see the ocean then. 808-579-8488. We don’t think it is worth the price. On Open Table.
  1. Flatbread Pizza Company – 89 Hana Highway, Paia. Excellent thin crust pizza. It gets really busy for lunch so go early or late. 808-579-8989.
  1. Nuka – 780 Haiku Road, Haiku.  A new find for us this year. Excellent sushi and Japanese food. We will definitely be back. 808-575-2939. No reservations.

KA’ANAPALI and LAHAINA

  1. Hula Grill – Whaler’s Village, 2435 Ka’anapali Parkway, on the beach. This is over on the other side of the island in Ka’anapali. It is Jim’s favourite beach spot for lunch because it’s right on the beach and the food is okay, but not great. Everything tastes good on the beach however and the view is wonderful. 808-667-6636. On Open Table.
  1. Mala Ocean Terrace – 1307 Front Street, Lahaina. This is our very favourite place for lunch. It’s on the ocean, the menu is very good, casual, and reasonably priced. It’s also open for dinner which we haven’t tried yet. 808-667-9394. On Open Table.
  1. Pacifico’s on the Beach – 505 Front Street, Lahaina. We had lunch here last year on the lanai which is practically on the beach. The food was excellent. 808-667-4341. On Open Table.

KAPALUA

  1. Pineapple Grill – Nice spot for lunch on a golf course. Good food. 200 Kapalua Drive. 808-669-9600. On Open Table.
  1. Merriman’s  – We had read that Merriman’s was not that great and too expensive so we just stopped for appetizers and drinks to watch the sunset. It was good bar food and a lovely view. 1 Bay Drive, Kapalua. 808-669-6400. On Open Table.

Mary Joan Cornett
Updated March 20, 2016

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