Rheianne

Please advise, what are your favorite restaurants in Maui. Any detail regarding location, best time to go (breakfast, lunch, dinner), whether there is a great view and favorite menu item would be very much appreciated!

ldsant

General Store

Mama's Fish House (DRINKS ONLY!!) - near Paia

Joe's Bar and Grill (although a friend of mine went there last week and said it wasn't as great as previous times)

Getting some food from the local store and eating it on the beach while I watch the sunset. . .

xxx

I used to go to the 7-11 type stores there and buy the Hawaiian equivalent of the hot dogs and nachos they sell at most places here: Teryiaki chicken or ahi wrapped in rice. I would take it to the beach for lunch! Sure beats what we get on the mainland. Mmmmmmm!

mari

u are so lucky--maui has great food! i live in honolulu and was surprised during a recent trip to find that maui's become something of a magnet for great food, in many ways comparable to honolulu.

haliimaile general store--no view here; it's in a tiny town on haleakala in the middle of cane fields, but the chef is nationally known and it's been a local favorite for years. the hoisin-sauce lamb is to die for and better than any other lamb preparation i've had. the duck taco w/ slaw, dried cherries and cracklins was up there too. famous for mango margaritas. i wasn't too thrilled w/ any of the fish or desserts i tried.

mama's fish house--in paia, w/ a great view of a lovely beach and windsurfers, so you need to go for lunch or an early dinner, or all you'll see is flaming tiki torches against the night. fresh fish caught daily by their own boats. i'd go w/ the server's suggestions, but on the day i went, the mahimahi in a butter-caper-garlic-white wine sauce melted in my mouth. very popular and you may need reservations.

merriman's bamboo bistro--at maalaea, between lahaina/kaanapali and anywhere else on the island. right on a small-boat harbor looking out toward deserted island of kahoolawe. very good all around; if a tapas sampler is offered, try it.

all these restaurants have excellent servers who are very good at helping w/ menu suggestions and explaining local fish and preparations. 2-course meals for 2 w/ wine would be $60 or more, w/ mama's being pricier. have also heard good things about pacific'O and longhi's in lahaina, also very expensive. happy eating!

Suzie

Favorite can mean lots of things. We had a really great time at the Hula Bar and Grill at Whalers Village in Kaanapali. Its right on the beach, mostly oudoors with sand under your feet. Had a great Hawaiian Band and a sunset view. Fun! I'm really picky about my fish and my meal was good.

Lani

A Pacific Cafe, Kihei - located in a strip mall but the food is THE BEST! Have the garlic sesame-encrusted mahi-mahi. Another day, have lunch at The Maui Onion at the Renaissance Wailea Resort, by the pool with - the world's best onion rings!

rheianne

Wow! What great suggestions, my mouth is watering as I type. More please!

Marie

Our anniversary dinner was at the Plantation House Restaurant in Kapalua, great food, and the best view on the island. Drinks and dinner for around $100.

For a fun place, go to Bubba Gumps in Lahaina.

Maui

Any restaurant that serves those wonderfully sweet Maui onions!

Charles

Get it to go and head to the beach is a great idea. Maui Taco, Kihei, would be good choice. Bubba Gumps??? Why not just head to any US tourist city? There are some good restaurants in Lahaina, ask other visitors in the hotels as to which are good. Check out some hotels too. Lunch at the Maui Onion!!! Got to get the rings!!
Nice dinner...One more thumbs up for Pacific Cafe, Kihei. Would make a good start. Remember, Mahi Mahi sandwich shacks anywhere is usually pretty good. Not too exciting to the locals but, good stuff for visitors.

Sheila

Another vote for Pacific Cafe - great desserts. Try the sampler. We also enjoyed Bubba Gumps and Roy's.

sktraveler

I absolutely agree with Mama's Fish House. We had lunch there and it was fantastic! If you are trying to save $$, just get a salad or sandwhich--enough to fill you up for lunch and only around $35 for two.

Also, if you are looking for an upscale, great service experience, I recommend Nick's Fish Market in the Kea Lani hotel. This place has great food and the service is amazing! My husband and I were trying to guzzle our water just to see how long it would take them to fill it up. NEVER had even a half-empty glass!

For a fun, casual, relatively inexpensive meal, we liked Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahaina. The burgers were good and we enjoyed sitting in the open-air dining room hearing the surf below.

Enjoy!!

ej

Mama's Fish House - Paia (L/D)VIEW!
Picnic's - (sandwiches) - Paia (B/L)
Roy's (D)Kaanapali
A Pacific Cafe (D) Kihei
Haliimaile (sp?) General Store(brunch/D)
Maui Tacos (fast food)various locations
Gerards (Lahaina)
Sansei (Kapalua) - Sushi -
Pacific 'O - Lahaina - VIEW (D)

Barbara

Absolutely agree with Gerard's in Lahaina - very romantic with wonderful food. Very expensive, but worth it. Also agree with A Pacific Cafe in Kihei. Great food!

steve

Pacific 'O at 505 Front Street in Lahaina is our personal favorite. Great outside seating with sunset views and the best seafood I have found on the islands. Get a reservation right before sunset.

Olicia

We totally enjoyed a casual sunset dinner at Kimos. Food, service, moderate price and great view. I had fish my husband had chicken/steak kabob, both good, as well as bread...Speaking of bread, had THE BEST bread for breakfast at Cafe Cio in the Kei Leani hotel on the beach...Great coffee, and we would buy the bread by the load...asiago cheese was Super!!

Richard

My favorite is the Avalon in Lahaina for dinner. If you don't mind eating early, they have a two for one early bird special until 6pm I think. The entire menu is available on the special.

Lani

Richard, how long ago were you at Avalon's? I used to LOVE it too, but it closed about 2-3 yrs ago. Has it re-opened?

kcd

I can't believe that no one has mentioned Longhis! We spent out honeymoon in Maui and Kauai a year and a half ago and everyone we spoke to before we left told us to go there for dinner. We were thinking that it had been built up too much for us and that we'd be disappointed, but the food is phenomenal! It's pricey, but worth it.

For less $$, try Va Bene in the Marriott Hotel on Kaanapali Beach. Great italian food! Make sure you ask to be seated away from the luau - it gets really loud!

I agree that Bubba Gumps is a good place, but more for pre-dinner drinks.

kcd

Ooops, forgot to give menu suggestions! At Longhis try the Filet Longhi style - excellent filet mignon. Also, they'll make you just about anything you ask for - just tell your waiter what you like!

At Gumps, drink a Lava Flow!

At Va Bene, the pizza and pasta was good!