Restaurants in Maui
 

Last question all.....after researching dining options any opinions on the following?

1. Roys
2. Mama's Fish Market
3. Plantation House
4. Tastings Wine and Bar
5. Pineapple Grill

less expensive:

1. CJ's Deli
2. Aloha Mixed Plate
3. Pa'ia Fish Market
4. Cafe O'Lei
5. Fish Market Maui

This may be my only trip ever this far away (Texas girl) so all suggestions are much welcomed!

Roy's is good, but Mama's Fish House is the best restaurant on Maui. You have to get reservations days/weeks ahead and I recommnd lunch because of the great view. The food is phenomenal.

Cafe O'Lei is also fantastic and very well priced. You need a reservation a day or so ahead because it is so popular.

Mama's is very scenic and has very good food, but wow is it expensive. I love it, and I go there everytime I'm in Maui, but the last time we both said " $57 for a piece of fish?"

I also had a very disappointing, expensive meal at Pacific-O's. The setting was wonderful, the waiter totally inept and discombobulated, and the food only so-so.

You know, there are two Roy's on Maui. The one in Kihei seemed like a big cafeteria to us. Very loud. The food is always great. Didn't go to the one in Kahana bu it is a nice area. Mama's is tasty but expensive like all have said. We've been in the evening. Sunset is beautiful if you can get it. The setting is nice. I like when the torches are lit to.
Paia fish market, very casual. Good food.
We too, had a disappointing experience at Pacific O last time. It used to be excellent.

Yes, Mama's Fish House is expensive - but it is such a great dining experience, especially for dinner. Highly recommended if you can afford it.

If you simply want a fairly inexpensive meal and want to try the local fish, Paia Fish Market is good.

Both places are located on the North Shore.

1.Mama's Fish House/Paia(the best)
2.Pineapple Grill
3.David Paul's Lahaina Grill
4.Kimo's/Lahaina
5.Hula Grill/sunsets

You wont see a lot written about Tastings here on fodors and other travel forums, but we ate there and loved it. The clientele were mostly locals and regulars. It is not much to look at on the outside (or the inside, really), but the menu items were interesting, and delicious. Of all the restaurants we ate at, this one had the most inventive menu and the best service. Try it.

Haillimaile Genreal Store should be on your list.

iamq is right. The Hali'imaili General Store SHOULD be on your list.

Dined at Roy's in December 2007 and it was oone of our most disappointing meals. It has a real "chain" type feel to it. Food was promising on paper but just didn't translate. Our three best meals on Maui were at Mama's Fish House, A Saigon Cafe (a hidden gem near Wailuku...doesn't look like much but lunch was awesome) and Sansei in Kihei (also have a Kapalua location that we've been to in the past).

You certainly won't find much about Tastings since it has been closed for more than a year!

As for Roy's, well a lot can happen in a year. Roy's Kihei has slipped right off of my list altogether. New chef and new GM since last year, both from the mainland, brought with them mainland attitudes and sensibilities. Which amounts to $$ saving efforts that may save the store a few dollars but have taken away the little extras that made it worth my while to eat there. Prices at Roy's have jumped dramatically, menu has been reduced to fewer choices and staff has been reduced, resulting in many of the long-familiar friendly faces being replaced with a revolving door of new staff. I never minded the noisy atmosphere when entrees were priced in the $25-30 range and the staff knew us and took care of us. But now the prices are in the $30-45 range and the last time we went we waited a full 20 minutes before ANYONE came by the table to take our drink order.

If you like small plates, as Tastings had, you might want to try Mala Wailea at the Marriott, or perhaps the much-anticipated Bin 69 will be open when you are here.

Another wonderful place I have tried not long ago is Ko at the Kea Lani. Ko has a different menu, with dishes that pay homage the plantation days and using all local ingredients.

That's too bad about Tastings closing! We were there in February 07. What happened?

I would also skip Roys it is not what it used to be.

Hula Grill is good. Kimo's is good for prime rib and used to be good for fish, but the last two times the fish has been dry. However, the sunset it awesome.

Mala's on front street just behind the Safeway is excellent and fun.

Io's is probably the best meals we have each time we go.

Pineapple Grill is also excellent and not to be skipped and equal to Io's maybe a little better.

Some friends just came back in June and ate at David Paul's, which they said was probably one of the best meals they have had in Maui and they have been going about once a year for about 20 years.

Mama's Fish House is supposed to be good but it a little bit of a drive from the Kanapalli side.

my favorites and i was just there last week at all:

PLantation house, great great food, and excellent service. Beautiful inside !

Mama's -food is very good but the ambiance is awesome. one of my favorites places just because of the ambiance and yes it's expensive but most meals are at the places you mentioned.

Kimo's - one of my fav's the fish is the best, (it is not dry and was not on this trip) the best mouthwatering fish ever.. i just think the restaurant can get warm at times.

Hula grill i love it due to the location and the food was better last year when i went this year it was good but not AS good.. the place was packed also for a Friday night good thing we had reservations.

we also went to Capische in Wailea which was excellent too but i 'd say go at sunset so you get a good view as we went after sunset and not the best view but meal was great and $$$

We had a great meal at I'O in May. Everything was excellent.

We also liked the Paia Fish Market.

thank you all....i'm adding a few of these to my list...I just hope I can make them all. I appreciate the info on Roy's, wouldn't want to waste a great meal on the place...looking VERY forward to Mama's.

We leave Friday at 1200....

We loved tbe Paia Fish Market so much that we ate a quick lunch there a few times when we were there last year.

We didn't go to any of the better restaurants mentioned. We went to Spago at Four Seasons and Sea Watch - both in Wailea. One of the bests meals we had on our trip was at SeaWatch, and it was a little more than half the price of Spago.

Enjoy your trip. If it wasn't such a long trip from the East Coast, I would go back in a heartbeat.

Aloha Redzin!

Another HUGE vote for Hali'imaili General Store. Don't miss it! Mama's to me is over-rated but I agree with Rosie, the ambience is very nice. We also love Spago and Ferraro's on the Beach. Both are located at the Four Season's. Make reservations no matter where you decide to go!

Have a wonderful trip!

Aloha.

Mama's Fish House was a culinary highlight of our trip to Maui. If price is an object, go for lunch. You will still have the view and the ambiance, but significantly lower prices.

We also enjoyed shopping the local markets for local fish and fruit and grilling our own fish to serve with fresh fruit salsas. There are grills in the parks on Maui.

Have a great trip!
Saige

You should add the following to the list (just below Mama's):

Merriman's Kapalua - fabulous oceanfront setting (next to Kapalua Bay) and wonderful food incorporating locally-grown produce

Nick's Fishmarket - fabulous food and incredible service (simply legendary). and the strawberry flambee dessert is a must

As for less expensive (Maui's weak point in tourist areas compared to other islands):

Definitely Paia Fish Market (then cross the street to Ono Gelato :D)) but Aloha Mixed Plate was flavorless IMO. Even Da Kitchen Express in Kihei was better for plate lunch meals. Didn't try the rest on your list.

We're also big fans of Paia Fish Market, for a casual (order at the counter, sit at shared picnic style tables) lunch.

Hula Grill - decent (nothing to write home about) food in a fabulous setting.

Stay away from the other restaurant in Whaler's Village - Rusty something? It was awful.

I'll second and third the recommendation for Ono Gelato across from Paia Fish Market. It's great!

Oh yeah, stay away from Tommy Bahama's in Wailea. Frozen food microwaved. I swear I could have eaten better out of my own freezer and the staff had real bad attitudes.

Second the suggestion for Merriman's Kapalua. We had a wonderful meal there recently.

Mama's was the best place on the island (MHO)!!! I miss it and loved it!

8-)

We loved Aloha Mixed Plate. Also, Maui Taco was pretty good (fast food Mexican).

Aloha Mixed Plate is truly awful, cheap but awful. Read tripadvisor for the varied reviews, maybe we ordered badly. Same with Maui Tacos, have tried them over the years and each time the food has been very bad, dirty premises at Napili.

Thai Chef is very good for less expensive dining, near to a supermarket in central Lahaina. Some reviews are not good but we ate there in May this year and we enjoyed it. Mala was really good too, but very busy and quite expensive.

I second or third SeaWatch..went there for Sunset dinner and was great food...

We were in Maui 2 weeks ago and had 2 fabulous meals at the Haillimaile General Store. We had lunch one day and it was so delicious, we went back the next day for dinner. In Wailea there is another restaurant owned by the same folks called Joe's. When we were there, it was only opened for dinner.

The owners of Pacific O have a farm tour and lunch in the high country. The idea is good....a farm that produces product for the restaurants, but it's not worth the $50 they charge. The farm tour drags on for 2 hours and it could be done in 1/2 hour. The 'gourmet' lunch is ok but just make sure you are at the front of the line. The folks in front of us were very hungry and gobbled up most of the fish. We were polite and lined up at the end. Half of our group didn't get any of the entree (fish). Please note that the chef mentioned that the fish weighed 9 lb when caught. Hmmm. 9 lab of fish for 18 people is a bit cheap considering the tail and head were not served. We ended up paying $50 for salad, a few vegetables and a couple of chocolate covered strawberries. Even by Maui standards, this is expensive. I sent an email re: our disappointment with the event and alas, have heard nothing. So, I feel obligated to warn others to avoid the O'O farm experience (owned by Pacific O). The food that we did have was good, but definitely not worth the price.

I think Roy's is a chain. They have them in Phoenix. I always try to avoid chain places on vacation.

Roy's now has numerous restaurant locations, but he is a real person, genuine chef, and local to Hawaii (he was interviewed on the Travel Channel just last night).

I had a great meal at Aloha Mixed Plate the one time we were there.

Two questions :-)

1) I see some negative reviews for Roy's -- is that only the Kihei location, or also the Kahana location? We are staying in Kahana. The only Roy's we've been to is on the Big Island.

2) Can someone give me an idea of the average entree cost @ Haliimaile General Store for lunch? BTW, when I went to their site, it noted they are celebrating their 20th anniversary!

Thanks :)

The Roy's in Kihei just doesn't feel like a tropical Roy's. Except for my husband who doesn't want to have to drive to Kahana and back (from Wailea-Makena), the kids and I prefer it because Kahana's atmosphere is so much better. Each Roy's has their own menu and each chef at Roy's has his own dishes besides the typical dishes Roy Yamaguchi has placed is fine signature on. In the last three weeks, we dined at our local Roy's in Pebble Beach, three times. I know, I know but we had birthdays. It's a very good restaurant.

Out of the list, I've been to all of the top 5 listed and more. Our family's favorite has not been mentioned and I'm keeping my mouth shut...it's crowded enough! :S-

Mama's has good food and a wonderful setting, but is quite out of the way unless you're headed in that direction.

Haliimaile General Store (http://tinyurl.com/5w2xs8) is also a little out of the way (in the same general direction as Mama's), but consistently good. The owner Bev Gannon also has another restaurant in Wailea called Joe's.

Our favorite restaurant on Maui is the Seawatch Restaurant at the Wailea Golf Course (http://www.seawatchrestaurant.com). We go there even when we aren't golfing. Better for lunch as the views are amazing. Food is also great.

For budget meals, check out this article:
http://www.nokaoimagazine.com/Dining...ure/meals.html

Ichiban Okazuya is waaay off the tourist track but it is soo ono! (delicious)

Also, try the new spot: Wok Star in Kihei. Rice and noodle dishes, open early and late.

For a fantastic, blow-out dinner try David Paul's, Pineapple Grill, or Banyan Tree.

Tastings is closed, btw.

Probably better known by locals than tourists, The Waterfront in Maalaea. Great setting. Great food.

http://www.waterfrontrestaurant.net/

We just got back from Maui yesterday. Pacific O's was terrible. The restaurant was run down, the service was bad and the food was the worst! Hula Grille was okay. The coconut fish chowder was good. Lailannie's was a little better - same owner. I heard that Sansai sushi up near the Ritz is very good, but only open for dinner. Sadly, we could not find any really great seafood, but then again, we did not venture out to Mama's Fish House.

Four of us would like to try Mama's Fish House for lunch. Moma's does not post prices on their website menus. What is a ballpark amount for lunch for 4 people not icluding any wine or alcohol? Thanks!

Fully agree with Supercilious about the Waterfront!!