Maui Restaurants

For a place the size of Maui, there’s a lot going on when it comes to the dining scene, from ethnic holes-in-the-wall to stunningly appointed hotel dining rooms, and from seafood trucks to oceanfront fish houses with panoramic views. Much of the food is excellent, but some of it is overpriced and touristy. If you’re coming from a "food destination" city, you may have to adjust your expectations.

Follow the locavore trend, and at casual and fine-dining restaurants choose menu items made with products that are abundant on the island, like local fish, beef, venison, onions, avocados, cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, hydroponic tomatoes, myriad herbs, salad greens, kalo (taro), bananas, papaya, guava, lilikoi (passion fruit), coconut, mangoes, strawberries, and Maui pineapple. You can also look for treats grown on neighboring islands, such as mushrooms, purple sweet potatoes, and watermelon.

"Local food," a specific and official cuisine designated as such in the 1920s, is an amalgam of foods brought by the ethnic groups that have come here since the mid-1800s and also blended with the foods native Hawaiians have enjoyed for centuries. Dishes to try include lomilomi salmon, laulau, poi, Portuguese bean soup, kalbi ribs, chicken katsu, chow fun, hamburger steak, and macaroni salad. For a food adventure, take a drive into Central Maui and have lunch or dinner at one of the "local" spots recommended here. Or get even more adventurous and take a drive around Wailuku or Kahului and find your own hidden gem—there are plenty out there.

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  • 1. Japengo

    $$$$

    Located inside the Hyatt Regency, this spot sits atop a man-made pool grotto and offers stunning ocean views and a gorgeous glassed-in sushi bar. The views aside, it's the food that makes Japengo worth a visit; the fresh local fish is well prepared—as are the sushi and hand rolls—and the desserts are amazing. Don't be afraid to get a little adventurous with trying items that may seem unfamiliar.

    200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-667-4909

    Known For

    • Live Hawaiian and acoustic entertainment
    • Outstanding chef's specials
    • Nice sake menu with flight options

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 2. Roy's Kaanapali

    $$$$

    Roy Yamaguchi is a James Beard Award–winning chef and the granddaddy of East-meets-West cuisine. His eponymous Maui restaurant, located next to the golf course clubhouse near Kaanapali's main entrance, features signature dishes like fire-grilled, Szechuan-spiced baby back ribs, Roy's original blackened ahi, and hibachi-style grilled salmon, as well as an exceptionally user-friendly wine list.

    2990 Kaanapali Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-669–6999

    Known For

    • Classic Hawaiian regional cuisine
    • Golf course setting
    • Hot chocolate soufflé

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 3. Son'z Steakhouse

    $$$$

    To enter the only steak house in West Maui, you descend a grand staircase into an amber-lighted dining room with soaring ceilings and a massive artificial lagoon complete with swans, ducks, waterfalls, and tropical gardens. Chef Amy Mayers' classic menu features favorites like the bone-in rib eye and Tomahawk steaks with accompaniments including five house-made sauces and a variety of sides and seafood add-ons, as well as lighter plates like shrimp cocktail and the must-try black and blue ahi starter. The wine selection is one of Kaanapali's best.

    200 Nohea Kai Dr., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-667–4506

    Known For

    • 100% USDA-certified-prime steaks
    • Astounding wine cellar
    • Private, lagoon-front setting

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch
  • 4. Choice Health Bar

    $ | Vegetarian

    A tiny takeout window in Whalers Village, this healthy eatery may be the satellite version of the larger Lahaina restaurant, but it's the perfect spot for anyone in need of a nutritious meal on the go, some fresh kombucha, or a cup of cold brewed coffee. Beachgoers can beat the heat with a green, cold-pressed juice or smoothie, or fill up with an acai bowl or Buddha bowl of quinoa and kale.

    Whalers Village, 2435 Kaanapali Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA

    Known For

    • Healthy options
    • POW-abunga acai bowl
    • Caesar kale salad with vegan cashew dressing
  • 5. CJ's Deli & Diner

    $

    Chef Christian Jorgensen left fancy hotel kitchens behind to open a casual place serving simple, delicious food—mango-glazed ribs, burgers, and classic Reuben sandwich—at reasonable prices including a vegan menu and kombucha on tap. If you're staying in a condo, the Chefs to Go service is a great alternative to picking up fast food (run-of-the-mill and usually lousy) as everything is prepped and comes with easy cooking instructions.

    2580 Kekaa Dr., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-667–0968

    Known For

    • Filling, affordable food
    • Mochiko chicken plate (a traditional Hawaiian fried chicken dish)
    • Casual atmosphere with Wi-Fi

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

  • 6. Duke's Beach House Maui

    $$$ | Modern Hawaiian

    The spot's the thing—the view is amazing—at this casual eatery just steps from the beach on the grounds of the Honua Kai Resort & Spa. The food is reliable—fresh fish is a good bet—the style all surfer-dudes and little grass shacks, and the signature cocktails big and pineapple-garnished.

    Honua Kai Resort & Spa, 130 Kai Malina Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-662–2900

    Known For

    • Bloody Marys
    • Tristan da Cunha Lobster Tail
    • Kimo's original hula pie is reason enough to come
  • 7. Honokowai Okazuya & Deli

    $

    Located within a nondescript mini strip mall, this small place has only a few stools and a couple of tables outside, but it's fast and the food is consistently good—all it takes to keep the place filled with locals. The beef and black bean chow fun and the mahimahi (dolphinfish) with lemon capers are the top-selling favorites, but there are vegetarian options and lighter fare such as Grandma's spicy tofu, egg foo yung, and even a veggie burger. It's cash only, so arrive prepared.

    3600-D Lower Honoapiilani Hwy., Honokowai, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-665–0512

    Known For

    • Huge portions
    • Local-style flavors
    • Quality food at a reasonable price

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. Closed daily 2:30–4:30 pm
  • 8. Huihui

    $$$$

    The 5,000 square-foot venue Huihui, meaning “constellation,” is a new shining star in the culinary scene in Hawaii. Executive Chef Tom Muromoto created a menu featuring unique Hawaiian dishes using fresh local ingredients, showcasing the Island's diversity. The restaurant also serves as an educational tool for Hawaiian cuisine, cooking, and traditions in wayfinding. Micro-greens, ulu, venison, and fresh ocean fish are some of the island's offerings woven into modern fusion cuisine. A calm dining experience and breathtaking ocean views are the perfect backdrops for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Savor a cup of signature coffee and Poi French Toast in the morning, grab a venison burger and Poke Holokai for lunch, or paddle your way back at sunset for Pau Hana in the lounge for locally inspired cocktails like the Lilikoi Mojito and Smoked Li Hing Margarita. Traditional Hawaiian cooking is the focus of dinner service from koala (barbecue), lawalu (wrapped in a ti leaf and grilled), and Chef Muromoto’s signature Laulau steamed in luau (taro leaf).

    2525 Kaanapali Pkwy, Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-667--0124

    Known For

    • Happy hour from 2--4 pm
    • Fabulous desserts
    • Live music in the evenings

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Dinner reservations highly recommended (2 weeks in advance)
  • 9. Hula Grill

    $$$

    A bustling, family-oriented spot on Kaanapali Beach, this restaurant designed to look like a sprawling ’30s beach house serves large dinner portions with an emphasis on fresh local fish. But if you're just in the mood for an umbrella-adorned cocktail and some tasty, more casual fare, head to the popular Barefoot Bar, where you can wiggle your toes in the sand.

    2435 Kaanapali Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-667–6636

    Known For

    • Macadamia nut-crusted fresh catch
    • Location along Kaanapali boardwalk
    • Classic cocktails and lively bar scene

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
  • 10. Pizza Paradiso

    $

    When it opened in 1995 this was an over-the-counter pizza place, but it's evolved over the years into a local favorite, serving Mediterranean-style pizza and comfort food including pitas, gyros, and kabobs.

    3350 Lower Honoapiilani Hwy., Honokowai, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-667–2929

    Known For

    • Fresh, house-made pesto
    • Gelato and Dole Whip for dessert
    • Pizzas with local Maui produce
  • 11. Pulehu, an Italian Grill

    $$$$

    This restaurant proves that good food doesn't need to be complicated, using many local Maui products to do what the Italians do best: craft simple, delicious food that lets the ingredients shine. Must-haves include the panfried gnocchi Genovese, risotto-crusted fresh catch, and the deconstructed tiramisu.

    6 Kai Ala Dr., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-667–3254

    Known For

    • Lobster risotto
    • Porcini-dusted lamb chops
    • Excellent selection of Italian wines

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed. No lunch.
  • 12. Tiki Terrace

    $$

    Executive chef Tom Muromoto is a local boy who loves to cook modern, upscale Hawaiian food, and he augments the various fresh fish dishes on his menu with items influenced by Hawaii's ethnic mix. This casual, open-air restaurant is the only place on Maui—maybe in Hawaii—where you can have a Native Hawaiian combination plate that is as healthful as it is authentic. Sunday brunch, complete with strolling Hawaiian musicians and hula dancers, is renowned here; and if you're around for any holiday, chow down at the amazing holiday brunch buffets.

    2525 Kaanapali Pkwy., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-667–0124

    Known For

    • Seafood lawalu (food wrapped in green ti leaves)
    • Hawaiian laulau (pork wrapped in leaves that's cooked until tender)
    • Native Hawaiian plate

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No lunch, Credit cards accepted
  • 13. Sangrita Grill & Cantina

    $$$ | Mexican
    Closed Permanently

    The menu categories at Sangrita may be familiar, but the authentic ingredients and deep flavors are new. The guacamoles and salsas—all house-made from scratch—come with a bottomless basket of corn and flour chips. The carnitas braised in duck fat are stellar, and the avocado fries with cilantro pesto aïoli are addictive accompaniments. Seafood fanatics will love the chipotle-steamed mussles and octopus carpaccio. Save room for the unique flan for dessert. The cocktails prominently feature tequila and mezcal, and the wine list is affordable. The partially painted wooden tables and chairs are intriguing, and the service is delightful.

    Fairway Shops, 2580 Kekaa Dr., Kaanapali, Hawaii, 96761, USA
    808-662–6000

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