Mama's Fish House Review

Reviewed by Crawfishlvr from California on 11/12/08
The view is fabulous with the windsurfers and the beachfront view.

There are plenty of restaurants on the island with better food without breaking the bank.

Reviewed by Russm from St Simons Island, GA on 4/28/08
If there was a list of restaurants that you must eat at before you die, this would be at the top! Friends recommended that we go before we left the island. We went to lunch one day and it was so outstanding that we went to dinner the next afternoon just before heading back home on a late evening flight. Mama’s – airline food, Mama’s – airline food…easy decision, and this restaurant is located very close to the airport, what could be better??

The views of the ocean are beautiful and people walk the grounds before and after dining to take some of the best photos of themselves in the Hawaiian Islands. An incredible picturesque location!

On both occasions we were seated promptly, in fact we arrived early for lunch and were seated immediately. The wait staff had fun personalities, were very helpful with the menu and the food was awesome!

This restaurant serves over 750 people per day with each patron enjoying a minimum of 2 courses. This means that 1,500 plates of delicious food expertly prepared and beautifully styled are served each day. An incredible task and a compliment to their culinary creativity, organizational discipline, and service staff who perform professionally and with a grand sense of hospitality.

I don’t understand some other ratings that bemoan one and a half hours for dinner with someone they want to share the evening with. That’s why they call it dining, not eating. Portion sizes are more than adequate; you don’t take this food home in a doggy bag. If you enjoy dining, beautifully layered flavors and sauces and a view that changes each time you are there, this is a must!
Mahalo!

Reviewed by newpakflowers from NY on 3/3/08
The atmosphere is wonderful. Exotic flowers you can't find anywhere, even in the gardens. Beautiful flowers and view. Don't know what happened to the food. The food don't taste as good as nine to ten years ago. They probably changed the chef. Kalua pig don't have the smoking aroma and taste it use to have. All the dish don't taste the same anymore. They don't compliment each other. Not such great food. The complimentary sweet bread is good.

Reviewed by Lbennink from Clovis, CA on 1/14/08
I have been to Mamas Fish House everytime I have traveled to Maui and it is always the highlight of the trip. The food and service are always excellent and the atmosphere is priceless! I recommend it to everyone I can!

Reviewed by kma837 from San Francisco, California on 1/11/08
I love this restaurant so much that I have pictures of it as screen savers at home and at work. Have been many many times and always receive great service, food, and atmosphere. Everyone that I have recommeded it to has simply loved it. Most restaurants in Hawaii above casual dining are expensive.

Reviewed by Texray1 from Dallas, Tx on 12/11/07
We skipped the dinner crowds and had a late lunch. Yes, it is expensive (about $90 for the two of us). But the view was exceptional. We could see windsurfers while we ate and there was a talking parrot as we wandered up the path from the parking lot. This was 5 years ago so I have no idea if the parrot is still there.

We are heading back to Maui in a few weeks and will probably make another stop to Mama's. The Mahi-Mahi was superb!

Reviewed by boodles731 from Detroit, Michigan on 9/23/07
Every other EXCEPTIONAL restaurant is expensive. Perhaps this place has changed over the years from an endearing little fish house to the fine dining experience that isn't at all stuffy of what it is today. Perhaps people don't think ahead of what the best time to come is...we had a later reservation figuring it's a happening place, 8:15. We were immediately escorted to our table and the service is seriously top-notch. Every single course and drink or item we ordered had some sort of tableside presentation - and I'm including the drinks in that!!! The ambiance was perfectly romantic and exactly what we were looking for all over the island - laid back, deliciously prepared food, completely not pretentious. This made our experience in Maui complete and was our favorite meal of the entire two week stay. If you're looking for a bargain, this ain't the place, but it's worth every single penny.

Reviewed by bsmom from Kirkland, WA on 7/4/07
The food and ambience are excellent. Beautiful location. Expensive though. Cocktails, even nonalcoholic are $10.00-$15.00

Reviewed by Sunnybrody from Northern New Jersey on 3/27/07
It's a good thing we ignored your mediocre review even though it has a star. Nobody likes to be taken advantage of with small portions and high prices, but people said "You must go". So we did. It is absolutely a beautiful and atmospheric restaurant, gorgeous flowers all over the place, the most drop dead views, impeccable service and excellent food. (I don't know what the portions used to be like, but it certainly was more than enough to eat.) As far as the bulging prices, all the restaurants we ate in were expensive and this was no more so. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Thank goodness we went.

Reviewed by docrambo from Nashville, TN on 2/1/07
Reservations do not mean a thing; you are still invited to spend half an hour or more in the bar waiting, while you are encouraged to buy one of their overpriced tropical drinks. Then you are led to a table where you are again presented with another tropical drink menu, and insistently asked for your further drink order. After asking three times, my waitress finally gave us a dinner menu. Sticker shock then ensued with prices highest on the Island. Wine prices were outrageous--more per glass than the bottle cost. Servings smaller that they used to be. Service somewhat indifferent. Unless you get really plowed with all the predinner drinking, you will feel shortchanged with this dining experience. If you want beautiful views, fantastic food, decent prices, great service, try the Plantation Club at Kapalua. We'll not be returning to Mama's.

Reviewed by Pa_Bob from Pennsylvania on 1/17/07
We waited for 45 minutes past our reservation time for a table and then were seated at a front window where we would have seen the sunset if we had gotten there when we were promised. With a pitch black view beyond the front walk we dined on spectacular food which was followed by a stunning bill, about $80/person without appetizers or wine. I understand now why they don't put prices on their website. Stacking people down the front walk and then breezily saying they're having a busy night just is appropriate at these price levels, no matter how good the food or the presentation (both top notch). Prepare to be treated like cattle and then charged like tourists!

Reviewed by Trisha1 from Orange County on 12/8/06
Very pricey menu, but delicous food...so-so service.