Every time we write about eating on Maui, something unexpected happens in the comments. People don’t just tell us where they ate. They defend those places they love, question the ones everyone else appears to love, and sometimes tell us we’re crazy for spending what we did.
We’re heading to Maui this month for a range of firsthand reporting, and where we eat is just one part of that work. Somewhere in the middle of it, BOH editor Jeff ran into a pile of online chatter built around one simple question: Where do you absolutely have to eat on Maui? The answers were all over the place. This time, before we actually decide, we’re asking you.
Maui restaurants have clearly become harder to choose.
We’ve already seen how divided people can be. When we wrote about our first visit to Mama’s Fish House, we went in wondering whether one of Hawaii’s most famous restaurants could possibly still justify what it now costs. We came away more impressed than we expected, but plenty of readers saw it quite differently.
Then in May, we looked more broadly at why Hawaii restaurants aren’t what they used to be, and heard from longtime Maui visitors who said rising prices have changed entirely how often they eat out on the island. Readers talked again about favorites including Merriman’s, Paia Fish Market, Mala, and Mama’s. Others said they’re opting to eat at food trucks more often too, plus cooking for themselves or picking up meals at the store.
Dining choices have become a bigger part of planning Hawaii trips. In another recent look at Hawaii dining costs, we found that Hawaii leads the country in dining-out spending, which helps explain why visitors are thinking harder about which meals are really worth it. On the one hand, a memorable dinner can still be one of the highlights of a Maui trip. But at today’s prices, choosing the wrong one can hurt.
Our next Maui restaurant list starts with you.
We’ll be based in West Maui most of the week. Plus some surprise places, as well as two nights in Hana, where we’ll proffer a more in-depth look at that side of the island.
We’re going anonymously and paying our own way, as we always do. And rather than fill our restaurant calendar before we arrive, we’re deliberately leaving a lot of room for reader suggestions. Maui isn’t so big that we’d rule out driving for a meal anywhere readers make a compelling case for.
Where should we eat on Maui?
What’s interesting to us isn’t simply which Maui restaurants cost the most or have the biggest names. It’s which ones readers walk away from feeling were genuinely memorable and worth whatever money was spent. That might be an expensive dinner you would happily pay for again, or it might be a casual restaurant or even a food truck that delivers a terrific meal without turning dinner into a financeable vacation expense.
We’re not looking for a list of every restaurant you’ve enjoyed. We’re asking you to help us make a choice.
If you could send us to just one Maui restaurant this trip, which one would you choose, what would you order, and why is it worth one of our limited meals out?
Your answers aren’t just suggestions for some bland restaurant roundup. We’ll be reading them before and during the trip, and they’ll help decide where we actually eat and what we’ll cover afterward. If a place keeps coming up and readers make a convincing case for it, there’s a good chance we’ll find our way there and then report back.
We’ll see where you send us! Mahalo.
Lead Photo Credit: © Beat of Hawaii at Mama’s Fish House on Maui.
By Rob and Jeff, Beat of Hawaii.
Some of the most meaningful parts of Hawaii are the ones visitors walk right past without knowing they are there. We’ve spent nearly 20 years finding them firsthand for BOH as full-time Hawaii residents reporting on travel, culture, and island life, and telling you what they mean for your trip. Join us →
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Your article on where to eat on Maui brings back some great memories, but even when times are tough we always find a way to eat at Star Noodle on Front Street. We’ve been going there since the days they were up the hill in the industrial area and very much enjoy their new location. We order Black Pepper Short Ribs, Pork Shumai, Steamed Kau Yuk buns and Star Udon. We love the restaurant and the setting and will continue to do so as long as we can.
We go for good food at a great price. We love Okazuya Deli in Honokowai. Mahi Mahi with lemon capers is one of our favorites. We’ve been coming here back when the Mahi was $9.99. Also great is the NY strip and Korean chicken. Call ahead to preorder. You won’t be disappointed. FYI, cash only, but they do have an ATM machine there.
I absolutely love Earth Aloha Eats, in Kihei, the selection is fantastic. I eat there at least once a week. If you want great plant based foods, you have to go here.
Paia Fish Market is always a favorite.
Try Joey’s Kitchen in Napili.
Miso Phat in Kahana – had a great meal there last time
I’ll make it real easy for you. We spend two weeks annually on Maul and dine out often.
Here are our favorite picks for breakfast, lunch and dinner:
Breakfast: Kehei Caffe in Lahaina Gateway. Huge frosted, fresh baked Cinammon Rolls, Portugese Sausage, etc.
Lunch: Fred’s Mexican Cafe,
South Kihei Road. Smoked Kalua Pork Burritos, wonderful Margaritas and open air view of the ocean.
Dinner: Sale Pepe. This is the first Lahaina restaurant destroyed in the fire to relocate in Lahaina. Housemade pastas and most everything made from scratch with imported ingredients from Italy. We dined there three times earlier this year.
Bon Apetit!
Recently, for fine dining, we ate at Mama’s, Merriman’s, and Duke’s.
Duke’s was the best for food (Tristan Lobster & Hula Pie) and service. Priced a bit lower as well.
Mama’s was second (lobster & short rib), and Merriman’s was third (fish). All 3 have excellent, ocean-centric locations.
For casual dining, Captain Jack’s and Paia Fish Market were our best choices. Captain Jack’s is close to my home, and we eat there often.
At the other end would be Monkeypod Kitchen and Maui Brewing Co. I just don’t get the hype (shrug).
Best place! Cafe O’lei at The Plantation!
If you are referring to the old Cafe O’Lei it was truly great, run by Jeff Scheer who sold it several years ago and opened another great restaurant Marlow in Kula.
If, however, you’re referring to the new Cafe O’Lei it is now a mediocre, overpriced tourist trap.
Another tragic story from Lahaina today. A 63 year-old security guard at Sands of Kahana was beaten to death, while on duty, by a 20 year-old Hawaiian youth. Still no ID or information from the July 17 tourist beating and riot. Three weeks of silence, Maui authorities expect you to forget the whole crime.
Colleen’s at the Cannery is a precious gem. It is a favorite stop for locals and if you are considering an excursion down Hana Highway, a slight detour to Ha’iku for lunch or dinner is a must. Meals are of the highest quality at very reasonable prices. It has an “Upcountry” personality and you never know who you might run into there (Pat Simmons, Steven Tyler, Woody Harrelson…).
Definitely South Maui Fish Market. Order the fish tacos. The pieces of fish are huge and so ono.
Added several thumbs up below….add in Sergios Cantina near the Times.
“ Su” Chef for the owner of Friedas , now closed due to death of owner. Same food! Fish n chips with chili sauce at Hula Grill, Whalers. Gazebo get take out….in 10 minutes…add fried rice to other eats in condo. Taverna up at Kapalua or The Bistro up in Makawao, do not for get the Hail i Maille General restaurant too.
We used to have most Maui dinners reserved before we arrived, and now we do nearly the opposite. We’ll reserve one or two places we’re really excited about and just leave the rest open. It makes the trip feel less scheduled and hectic, and it also means we don’t feel obligated to spend a lot on dinner when we’d rather stay at the beach a little longer, have pickup, or just dine casually.
Lots of good suggestions and I’m taking notes myself. When I see the same restaurant mentioned over and over in the comments, I take that seriously even if it isn’t somewhere we were considering. That’s how we’ve found some of our favorite places over the years.
We’ve stopped paying much attention to anyone’s “best restaurants on Maui” lists because they all seem to repeat the same places. What matters to us is whether we’d choose to go there again. That’s probably the question I’d ask readers too, because a return visit says a lot more than one dinner.
Monkeypod seems to divide people, but we’ve always had a good time and enjoyed it. We know it’s going to be busy and somewhat touristy, and that’s oaky. The mai tai is excellent, the atmosphere is fun, and we’ve consistently had good food there. I wouldn’t call it the best restaurant on Maui, but I also wouldn’t say to skip it.
We usually have at least one Foodland salad and poke dinner on Maui, and I’m not joking when I say it’s one of the meals I look forward. We grab several different kinds, and greens, take it back to where we’re staying, and eat outside. For us not every memorable Maui meal has a waiter and a reservation. Just saying.
One thing I’ve learned is that getting a difficult reservation doesn’t necessarily translate into you’re about to have an amazing experience. We’ve gone through all the hoops for places and left wondering why we bothered. Meanwhile, some of the places we decided on at the last minute ended up being the ones we remember most and still talk about.
I’d encourage you to look for places where the owner is still part of the operation and the restaurant also feels connected to the community. Those places aren’t usually the ones with the biggest presence. We try to support locally owned restaurants when we can because they’re still part of what makes returning to Maui feel different from going anywhere else.
Suggest you leave some meals unplanned. Some of our favorite Maui places were restaurants we found through a suggestion or just somehow stumbled into. When every dinner is booked months ahead, you lose a little of the fun and spontaneity of discovering something.
Merriman’s in Kapalua is expensive, better than expected, and one of those last splurge meals we still make room for. We’ve been a number of times and the whole evening has been consistently good. If you’re going to spend a lot on one dinner in West Maui, that’s where I’d personally spend it.
We live on the east coast and love Maui and go every year or two if we can. We do love Mama’s Fish House for a special occasion. Last fall we went after a lull because of the expense but it didn’t disappoint and we remembered why it’s worth a splurge. We stay at Napili Bay and love the Sea House that is practically in the ocean and the Gazebo – so adorable for breakfast and lunch.
If you’re going to Hana, I wouldn’t make restaurants any focus. That’s never been why we go. We usually eat whatever makes sense along the way and enjoy the day for what it is. Hana feels like one of those places where trying too hard to schedule things can actually take away from the whole experience.