Does anyone have a restaurant experience that the have had in Maui that they will never forget?

Any Maui Restaurant suggestions???

I haven't been to Maui in 10 years but a restaurant experience that was very memorable to me was at Cheeseburger in Paradise. Very simple meal - fried calamari, cheeseburgers and a couple of ice cold beers. But it was an upstairs open-air restaurant right on the water with great views, warm breezes, sun-setting and a guy playing a guitar and singing James Taylor songs. It was a Zen-like moment for me.

Sarento's on the Beach in Kihei - fabulous sunset views and very good food
Mama's Fish House in Paia - great overall

Go to Nick's Fishmarket at the Fairmont Kea Lani. It was the best service we've ever experienced. The food was excellent too. I have ranked it number 1 on my all-time list of favorite restaurants.

Check out www.chowhound.com (elsewhere in america board) There is a lot of info on Maui restaurants. You can search the page using the "cntrl f" function.

Favorite Maui restaurant for me was Mama's Fish House, because despite all the hype and cost it certainly met my expectations and more. Before I get into the specifics, let me tell you that I'm typically wary of others' suggestions since it's a very subjective matter. Not to sound snobbish, but I have no idea what others' past dining experiences were, how consistent a particular restaurant is from day to day, and a whole lot of other factors.

That said, I believe Mama's best captures the essence of Maui in its decor and atmosphere as well as in its menu...they primarily provide fresh fish caught from local fishermen. And it's location on a very pristine beach in Paia, watching a sunset, just tops off the whole experience. I realize that not everyone has had a glowing report of the restaurant, but I noticed they were a very small minority. Mama's is one of the few on Maui that has delivered on its hype for so many years. When I spend over $100 on dinner for two excluding drinks, I want to make sure a restaurant's excellence is consistent the night I dine...and Mama's did not fail. It was spectacular for me in July 2002, and I hope it still is for others.

No question about it---Roy's. Treat yourself!

The Banyan Tree at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. Excellent food,romantic atomsphere and it overlooks beautiful Kapalua Bay. Sunsets are amazing!!

Definitely don't miss Pacific'O in Lahaina. Ask for a table outside on the beach. Outstanding food and atmosphere. I've been to Maui 7 times and this is certainly the best of the best.

I second hippirep's comment.
Best details/reviews are at chowhound.com.
Mama's is a perennial favorite, Nick's and Spago for resort dining, Kimo's for the casual atmosphere (and sunset views more than anything else), Cheeseburger in Paradise for a local bite.

Da Kitchen.

If you like sushi, I understand Sansei is not to be missed! Half price sushi Thursday nights after 10pm too.

have fun!

Aloha Plate Lunch on the beach between Old Lahaina and Kaanapali - killer kalbi ribs, rice, macaroni, the best.

Cafe des Amis in Paia (on the way to Hana) - curry crepes, who knew?

Well, it's been 3 years since we were there, but I can second the Pacific'O recommendation - we ate a lot of meals in Maui and Pacific'O was my favorite. Great location and food. Cheeseburger in Paradise is a must, and Kimo's is another nice, casual place.

Hi,
Nick's is my favorite, with Roy's either in Kahana or Kihei right up there too. Loved Spago's at the 4 Seasons, Sansei's in Kapalua for sushi (same sushi in Kihei, but it lacks the ambiance of their Kapalua location), Gerard's in Lahaina has great food, but it is on a side street, so loses a bit of the Hawaiian experience. The food is ok, but the view is great at Leilani's in the Whaler Village-Kaanapali(get a seat outside). I really enjoyed the Plantation House in Kapalua, but my wife didn't like it, Erik's Seafood Grotto had great food, but again its location isn't "Hawaiian." Humu Humu Room at the Grand Wailea was also marvelous. Pacifico's has a great location, but our meal was only ok. I'd give it another try. It has a great reputation. Food at Longhi's in Lahina is ok, but we had the corner table and caught the sunset. WOW!!!
Frank

I'll add my name to the Pacific'O fans.

And when you want a break from the $55 meals, Maui Tacos!

For breakfast, if you're in the area, the Gazebo at Napili Shores.

For a casual meal, you can't beat the bar area at the Hula Grill at Kaanapali. Live music, outdoors right on the beach, your feet in the sand, and a terrific sunset.

bluefan...we agree again...

Mama's Fishhouse...end of story.

We liked Hula Grill too, especially for the beach front ambiance. But, for an unforgettable Maui restaurant I recommend Hailemaile General Store Restaurant. It's on the slope up the mountain a few miles north of the road to the summit. Ask the owner about her flower nursery too.

Well you said "never forget", which I take to mean good and bad. Basically, living in a big metro area, I've found that I can get just about anything here cheaper than in Hawaii, so dining for us isn't a major concern on trips to HI, we usually get a condo for flexibility. That being said, for Maui the best value we've found is Bubba Gumps in Lahaina, they do a great job (as of May '02 at least), good service & decent food. Erik's Seafood was also great but I believe it's recently moved so have no idea of current quality. We went to Longhi's in y2k & thought it way overpriced. For both our Maui trips the winner (loser) in the 'bad' category is the "Fish and Game" in Kahana. Mediocre food, dreadful service (if you even get any).
We never got to Mama's, road construction (delays) & price put us off, we ate in the condo while watching the sunset.. pog n' grog ..
Cheers