I'm sorry but Maui has some of the worst food scenes I have ever experienced (Kihei: appointed, credit card)

[username9938]

I have been living here for 2 years now and I can tell you right now, one of the reasons people move back to the mainland is not because of living cost, or island fever. it's probably because of the abysmal food scene. There are maybe 5 restaurants in the entire island that are worth going back to and I can name them all.

Sale Pepe
Kula Bistro
Mediterranean Grill (the food truck in Haiku)
Johnny's Heist (finally some decent pizza)
Kihei Caffe (which it's just 1 notch above Denny's to be honest)

I've been to many of the tourist traps, like Leoda's, Nalu's, Monkeypod, etc. The food is just so bad. I've lived in many major cities so my bar is set pretty high and perhaps expecting Maui to compete with these cities is probably not fair, but my goodness. It seems like the majority of restaurants here do not actually care about how good the food is because there will always be another clueless tourist that will eat their overpriced crap.

I don't even know how some of these taco trucks even exist, considering Taco Bell is far superior (and I'm not even joking). I'm going to blame some of this on the fact that these restaurants need to hire minimum wage people and these people have no idea what they are doing in the kitchen and definitely don't want to be there.

For the love of god, someone please enlighten me on some restaurants because I can cook better food at home than the majority of them... and I don't actually cook.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by username9938

For the love of god, someone please enlighten me on some restaurants because I can cook better food at home than the majority of them... and I don't actually cook.

I make it a point to have lunch or dinner at Mama's Fish House when I visit Maui - and have never been disappointed.

[Hemlock140]

Have you tried Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop in Lahaina? It's bee a few years, before Covid but it was our favorite casual place to eat in Maui.


https://www.leodas.com/

[WaikikiBoy]

I tend to agree. I don’t think Hawaii in general is much of a food destination, personally. I found Maui restaurants to be mediocre but better, generally speaking, than Big Island. I remember eating at Hugo’s Big Island as the worst Steak I’ve had in years. And it was their “specialty” dish.

[Futuremauian]

Originally Posted by username9938

I have been living here for 2 years now and I can tell you right now, one of the reasons people move back to the mainland is not because of living cost, or island fever. it's probably because of the abysmal food scene. There are maybe 5 restaurants in the entire island that are worth going back to and I can name them all.

Sale Pepe
Kula Bistro
Mediterranean Grill (the food truck in Haiku)
Johnny's Heist (finally some decent pizza)
Kihei Caffe (which it's just 1 notch above Denny's to be honest)

I've been to many of the tourist traps, like Leoda's, Nalu's, Monkeypod, etc. The food is just so bad. I've lived in many major cities so my bar is set pretty high and perhaps expecting Maui to compete with these cities is probably not fair, but my goodness. It seems like the majority of restaurants here do not actually care about how good the food is because there will always be another clueless tourist that will eat their overpriced crap.

I don't even know how some of these taco trucks even exist, considering Taco Bell is far superior (and I'm not even joking). I'm going to blame some of this on the fact that these restaurants need to hire minimum wage people and these people have no idea what they are doing in the kitchen and definitely don't want to be there.

For the love of god, someone please enlighten me on some restaurants because I can cook better food at home than the majority of them... and I don't actually cook.

We've been to Duke's, and Kimo's in Lahaina this past week and had excellent, but expensive, meals at both. We are going to Mama's Fish House tomorrow night, and I expect it to be excellent as always. We couldn't get a reservation at Sansei in Kapalua, so we will go after the tourists leave.

It sounds like what you are really bemoaning is the lack of great food at reasonable prices, which I agree, is hard to find here. When restaurants pay $50-75k per month in rent, the prices will be reflective.

My cheaper favorites include Dollie's in Kahana for pizza ($28 for a large pepperoni), and Paia Fish Market in Lahaina.

I never eat at food trucks.

I've lived here for 8.5 years and this is the first time I have heard anyone suggest that food is what drove residents to move away.

[username9938]

Originally Posted by Futuremauian

We've been to Duke's, and Kimo's in Lahaina this past week and had excellent, but expensive, meals at both. We are going to Mama's Fish House tomorrow night, and I expect it to be excellent as always. We couldn't get a reservation at Sansei in Kapalua, so we will go after the tourists leave.

It sounds like what you are really bemoaning is the lack of great food at reasonable prices, which I agree, is hard to find here. When restaurants pay $50-75k per month in rent, the prices will be reflective.

My cheaper favorites include Dollie's in Kahana for pizza ($28 for a large pepperoni), and Paia Fish Market in Lahaina.

I never eat at food trucks.

I've lived here for 8.5 years and this is the first time I have heard anyone suggest that food is what drove residents to move away.

Food and weather are the only reasons people stay in Southern California despite it being horrible in every other department. Maui has the weather... but not the food.

But thanks for the recommendations. I will definitely check it out!

[hothulamaui]

The OP should get out more. Besides the ones mentioned
Cafe OLei both locations
Lahaina Grill
Pain fish market
Fridas
Merriments
Pacifico on the beach
Kimos
Down the hatch
Capt jacks
Star noodle
Amigos
Okazuya cafe
Mama’s rib rotisserie
The list includes expensive and inexpensive, most pretty darn good.

[username9938]

Originally Posted by hothulamaui

The OP should get out more. Besides the ones mentioned
Cafe OLei both locations
Lahaina Grill
Pain fish market
Fridas
Merriments
Pacifico on the beach
Kimos
Down the hatch
Capt jacks
Star noodle
Amigos
Okazuya cafe
Mama’s rib rotisserie
The list includes expensive and inexpensive, most pretty darn good.

I will try these out. Cost is not an issue for me. I just need good food!

Side note - Down the hatch is good but it's hard to go there when it's always packed with tourists.

[Futuremauian]

A place I forgot to recommend is Sea House at Napili Bay. Very good food with reasonable (for Maui) prices.

Restaurants I would avoid on the West Side include Roy's (Kaanapali), Taverna (Kapalua), Star Noodle (Lahaina) and Monkeypod (Kaanapali). All have high prices and mediocre food. I would include Ruth's Chris but it closed.

A special thumbs-down for the new Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar in Lahaina. I ate there 3 times in groups and found it to be acceptable and even reasonable. The fourth time, I took an elderly neighbor there for dinner.

When you arrive at the hostess stand to check in, you have to open a line of credit with a credit card and purchase something before they will seat you. With a line of people behind you, you are forced to order food or drinks under pressure.

My neighbor doesn't drink for medical reasons, so I didn't drink out of empathy. Since I knew I wanted to try the Cuban Sandwich, I ordered that at the hostess stand. We were then seated and after 10 minutes, a food runner brought my sandwich. Later, a waitress finally appeared and took my companion's order. I ate since my sandwich was growing cold, and long after I finished, his food appeared. Neither of us had a good meal.

What awkward and clumsy system! I don't intend to go back.

Edit: We also had lunch at Fleetwood's last week. Adequate food, high prices.

[Tedster24]

Ono's Tacos (food truck) in Lahaina and Paia Fish Market (prefer the Paia one, but the Lahaina one is perfectly fine too).