12 Best Restaurants in Maui, Hawaii

After more than 30 years, chef Beverly Gannon's first restaurant remains a culinary destination, serving exquisite dishes like Bev's Famous Crab Pizza, sashimi Napoleon, barbecue pork sandwiches, and the macadamia nut–crusted fresh catch, as well as daily and nightly specials, hand-crafted cocktails, and local beers. The rambling former plantation store has two dining rooms, both of which are usually full, so reservations are encouraged.

This signature restaurant at the stylish Andaz Maui at Wailea resort has it all—ingredients sourced from the islands, a marvelous wine list, stellar service, and spectacular views from every table. The whole space has been masterfully designed with a gorgeous exhibition kitchen wrapped by indoor and outdoor seating. The breakfast buffet includes endless, tasty options, and at dinner you can linger while enjoying unique seafood and steak dishes.

The menu at this oceanfront standout features interesting local-style Hawaiian food fusions. There's a focus on ingredients that promote local sustainability, and the cocktail and wine lists are great, too. Daily brunch and happy hours keep guests happy all day, and a late-night menu on Friday and Saturday features raw fish and Wagyu plus discounted cocktails.

At this restaurant perched above the postcard-perfect Kapalua Bay, chef Peter Merriman highlights Hawaii's bounty by using fresh seafood and ingredients from local farms. The dinner menu features stunning dishes, including some vegetarian options, that represent both the land and the sea, and there's also a raw bar. Don't miss out on dessert—the chocolate purse is the thing that memories are made of.

Roy Yamaguchi is a James Beard Award–winning chef and the granddaddy of East-meets-West cuisine. His eponymous Maui restaurant, located next to the golf course clubhouse near Kaanapali's main entrance, features signature dishes like fire-grilled, Szechuan-spiced baby back ribs, Roy's original blackened ahi, and hibachi-style grilled salmon, as well as an exceptionally user-friendly wine list.

Top Chef celebrity Sheldon Simeon opened this trendy lunch counter in a small Kahului warehouse, and it's easy to spot—just look for the line of people waiting in the parking lot. Locals and visitors swarm here for the affordable and ono (delicious) plates of mochiko chicken, pork belly, ulu mac salad, beet box, and garlic shrimp, and although there are only a couple of stools in the restaurant, many people dine on the curb or take their food to-go. Don't forget to ask for some chili pepper water!

A bustling, family-oriented spot on Kaanapali Beach, this restaurant designed to look like a sprawling ’30s beach house serves large dinner portions with an emphasis on fresh local fish. But if you're just in the mood for an umbrella-adorned cocktail and some tasty, more casual fare, head to the popular Barefoot Bar, where you can wiggle your toes in the sand.

The menu at Ko—which means "sugarcane" in Hawaiian—features dishes from the many cultures of the plantation era, some of which are made using local family recipes. Executive chef emeritus Tylun Pang created a menu featuring modern, innovative twists to Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese dishes; executive chef Aris Aurelio is now at the helm. Their new Sunday brunch is somehow both inventive and authentic, featuring Asian-inspired and local-style dishes and live music. Private dining experiences are available in Ko Garden.

It's a bit of a drive, but when you get to this beautiful, comfortable restaurant, you'll find expansive views of the ocean below and the majestic mountains above. Chef Jared Krausen sources as many ingredients as possible locally, offering up an eclectic and elevated menu. Desserts are not to be missed here.

It's a marriage made in Hawaii heaven—the California cuisine of celebrity-chef Wolfgang Puck combined with Maui flavors and served lobby-level and oceanfront at the luxurious Four Seasons Resort Maui. Try the spicy ahi (yellowfin tuna) poke in sesame miso cones to start, and then see what the chef can do with some of the island's fantastic fish. It will cost you, but the service is spot-on, and the contemporary interior allows the food to claim the spotlight.

Executive chef Tom Muromoto is a local boy who loves to cook modern, upscale Hawaiian food, and he augments the various fresh fish dishes on his menu with items influenced by Hawaii's ethnic mix. This casual, open-air restaurant is the only place on Maui—maybe in Hawaii—where you can have a Native Hawaiian combination plate that is as healthful as it is authentic. Sunday brunch, complete with strolling Hawaiian musicians and hula dancers, is renowned here; and if you're around for any holiday, chow down at the amazing holiday brunch buffets.

The spot's the thing—the view is amazing—at this casual eatery just steps from the beach on the grounds of the Honua Kai Resort & Spa. The food is reliable—fresh fish is a good bet—the style all surfer-dudes and little grass shacks, and the signature cocktails big and pineapple-garnished.