Taste Grub in Maui?
 

Please recommend some good places to eat in Maui.

Thanks

We tried a lot of good restaurants in Maui. Mama's Fish House was the one we went back to a second time. Mmmmm. It was worth the drive.

You mean ono grinds? What kind of food? What price range? What area? My new favorite find is Tiffaany's Bar and Grill on Lower Main in Wailuku. They have the best Kimchee on the island.

Second on Mama's Fish House - a must.

3rd vote for Mamas. Actually I have recommended 3 or 4 friends going to Maui to try Mamas and all gave rave reviews.

One of our favorites that has scenery and reasonable prices is Cheeseburger in Paradise on the water in Lahaina.

We really enjoyed Leilanis in Kaanapali. The sunset is wonderful from there. Have a fantastic vacation!

Thanks for all of your posts.

Monkeyking, if you give me some idea what you are looking for and in what are I can reccommend some places other than Mama's. I love Mama's, but you can't eat there every meal. How about the Plantation House in Kapalua or Hali`imaile General Store? You are missing an experience equal to Mama's if you miss them. There are so many other great places to eat on Maui! But it seems from reading these boards that everyone eats at the same 10 places, many of which are, in my opinion, overpriced and commercialized because they are the standard tourist stops. I dare everyone to eat at the Pa`ia Fish Market. It may be my favorite place for fish in the world--simple, good, fresh food. Actually Pa`ia is home to more good eats than I can name: Milagros, Cafe des Amis, Hana Bay Juice Company (puts PicNics to shame), Jaques, Cafe Mambo, and more. Wailuku is full of wonderful local-style food, perfect after a day at the Ioa Valley or a drive around west Maui. Frans, Tiffany's and Pulehu BBQ Grill are just some of our favorites found on Lower Main Street. There is Thai and Korean food that will make you swoon. And when in Hana, you absolutely must stop at Tutu's on Hana Bay for lunch. DH has been known to suggest a trip into Hana Town just for a Tutu's Loco Moco.

Let's not forget Jawz fish tacos, both the taco truck in Makena and the new storefront in the Azeka Center in Kihei, Life's a Beach for fun, good, cheap food, drinks and live music, Eskimo Candy Fish market, Kai Ku Ono (OK, the service sucks, but they have great food and sunset views), Maui Tacos, Da Kitchen (best plate lunch and they often have MOI!) and Stella Blues, all in Kihei. And Dick's Place in Kihei has 50% lunches from 11 to 3 everyday.

Mañana Garage (half price entress between 5 and 5:30) and Valley Isle Seafood in Kahului, Polli's for Mexican and Casanova for late night Italian in Makawao, and Komada Bakery (Makawao) is a must for malasadas. Colleens in Ha`iku, Kula Lodge in Kula, and Grandma's coffee house in lower Kula. For sushi, besides KKO and Sansei, there is Hakone in the Maui Prince and Take Sushi in Lahaina. And for vegetarians and Indian food aficianados, Curry-in-a-Hurry on Dairy Road is heaven.

Bubba Gumps has a cute name, but does anyone really think the food is great? Just because a place has a large marketing budget it doesn't make it a great place to eat! How about trying The Cool Cat Café for burgers or Lahaina Coolers, or you want something a little special for lunch, Café Sauvage on Front Street? For dinner in Lahaina my choice is always i`o or Pacific`o. Just the thought of i`o's Crispy Ahi is making me drool.

And finally, Aloha Mixed Plate not only serves a killer plate lunch by the ocean, but they still are my favorite happy hour on the island, serving REAL mai tais, not the fruit juice imitations found elsewhere for twice the price. Just liquor and a touch of lime juice in these $2.50 puppies.

Wow, thanks htg2Maui. That was quite a list. I printed it and tucked it into my Maui Revealed book. Nothing like a good, solid and very RECENT recommendation from a local. -- Shar

Yeah, thanks hgtMaui.

Looking forward to going to Maui.

Yeah thanks here today,,,,after reading your post, I've never been so homesick....can't believe I was in Kauai for a week and spent Christmas for a week in Hana and Kihei....your post made it feel like years ago!!! big sigh!!!!!Alas I will continue to try to return again and again....feels like home!!!!!

Near the Plantation House in Kapalua, but just a few miles up the road there is an IHOP. Look for the large roof (obvious). They have great IHOP specials and an interperative trail.

I am pretty sure there isn't an IHOP? in Kapalua. AFAIK, the only IHOP on the island is at the Maui Mall in Kahului. It's where American Idol contestant Camille Velasco worked until she was whisked off the Hollywood to compete. There used to be an IHOP in Kihei, but that's been long gone and is now the overpriced, mediocre Motocycle Café.

I know this may be a problem for those of you who hold Mama's Fish House sacred, but the one (and only) time I went there for dinner, my island fresh fish was served still frozen in the middle. So I've never gone back.

Maybe the fish was packed on ice for the trip to the restaurant.

Packed on ice may chill a fish, but the supposedly fresh fish shouldn't be frozen solid on the inside when the outside was cooked; especially since we were so close to where the fish was caught. I know this because I worked in Hawaii restaurants for 10 years, and the boyfriend who took me to Mama's for a special dinner was a chef who owned his own restaurant. Definitely frozen.

Last week's MauiTime was the food issue. They did a fantastic job and pretty much covered the gamut from Local Food to Mama's.

http://www.mauitime.com/v07/v07iss39/index.html

ttt

Tommy Bahama Cafe in the shops at Wailea has a fabulous brunch with live music overlooking the Ocean, deelish!