66 Best Restaurants in Maui, Hawaii

Chef Christian Jorgensen left fancy hotel kitchens behind to open a casual place serving simple, delicious food—mango-glazed ribs, burgers, and classic Reuben sandwich—at reasonable prices including a vegan menu and kombucha on tap. If you're staying in a condo, the Chefs to Go service is a great alternative to picking up fast food (run-of-the-mill and usually lousy) as everything is prepped and comes with easy cooking instructions.

Though it may seem like a tourist trap, this ocean-side restaurant does not disappoint, thanks to the quality of its food and an ambience steeped in Hawaiian history, with memorabilia that nods to famed surfer Duke Kahanamoku throughout. The seafood menu is downright astounding, and the famous Hula Pie—macadamia nut ice cream on a cookie crust served with hot fudge—might have you rushing to get to dessert. Resist the temptation to eat and run, though, so that you can linger over dinner and drinks while enjoying nightly live music.

Perched on a bluff above Wailea Beach, this outdoor Italian eatery at the Four Seasons Resort Maui is Wailea's only oceanfront restaurant. A recent remodel adds contemporary design elements inspired by the local environment and a new menu that combines coastal Italian flavors with Maui's ocean ingredients. For lunch, enjoy the catch of the day, artisanal sandwiches, or one of the stone-baked pizzas (including a vegan option). Dinner is a time for indulgence with Petrossian Caviar service, squid ink pasta with Kona lobster, and roasted whole fish. 

Not only is this popular restaurant, an outpost of a Vermont-based operation, a great place to take the kids, but it's also a valued member of the community, giving to local nonprofits with proceeds from benefits held each Tuesday night and sourcing local, organic, and sustainable ingredients, including 100% organically grown wheat for the made-fresh-daily dough. Although it only accepts reservations for large groups, it offers "call-ahead seating," so you can put your name on the wait list before you arrive.

Healthy, fresh, and fast best describe this busy eatery, the second restaurant for chef--owners Jaron Blosser, Cody Christopher, and Travis Morrin (the first being Three's Bar and Grill in Kihei). You can order a signature salad or create your own with the impressive selection of add-ons, including many grown on Maui. Sandwiches and soups are also featured, as are fresh-squeezed juices. The line can get long, but it moves quickly; order online and skip the wait altogether. Sit-down dining is available, though this bustling restaurant can get noisy.

An open-air lanai offers a breathtaking view of the golf course and the majestic backdrop of Iao Valley and the West Maui mountains at this fantastic addition to Maui's culinary scene. The menu takes you on a trip to Buenos Aires, with an assortment of emparedados (sandwiches); house-made chimichurri; and tomahawk, ribeye, sirloin, and skirt steaks, as well as lamb and chicken.

Breakfast is the reason to seek out this restaurant located poolside at the Napili Shores Resort. The food is standard diner fare, but the portions are big, the prices are low, and many folks think the pancakes—with bananas, macadamia nuts, or white chocolate chips—are the best in West Maui. The ambience is a little funky but the oceanfront setting and views are spectacular, affording opportunities to spot turtles, spinner dolphins, and, in winter, humpback whales. Expect a long line any day of the week.

The Franco family has been perfecting its organic coffee since 1918, growing and handpicking the beans, drying them under the Maui sun, and then roasting them at the coffeehouse. Pop in or order takeout online—the food here truly reflects local culture, with dishes that tutu (grandma) would make for the ohana (family) and baked goods, bagels, and burgers that all hit the spot.

Located within a nondescript mini strip mall, this small place has only a few stools and a couple of tables outside, but service is fast, and the food is consistently good—all it takes to keep the place filled with locals. The beef and black bean chow fun and the mahi mahi (dolphinfish) with lemon capers are the top-selling favorites, but there are vegetarian options and lighter fare such as Grandma's spicy tofu, egg foo young, and even a veggie burger. It's cash only, so arrive prepared.

Although this oceanfront restaurant began as a way to showcase the work of celebrity chef Mark Ellman, it subsequently changed ownership, and its menus are evolving. You can, however, count on there being interesting cocktails, classic seafood dishes, and pizzas that have been cooked in a wood-fired brick oven.

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 only full-service restaurant in Maui's largest shopping center, the well-established Koho's serves things like sandwiches, burgers, and fried chicken, as well as fajitas and other Mexican dishes. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and there's a happy "hour" from 2 to 6 pm Tuesday through Saturday.

Nestled on the slopes of Haleakala, this bistro evokes trattorias in northern Italy, serving homestyle food with a dash of Italian. Start the day an egg dish or the indulgent white chocolate macadamia nut pancakes; opt for a panini at lunch; or, for dinner, enjoy anything from specialty pasta dishes and signature pizzas to prime rib to the local favorite loco moco.

Both fun and photo-worthy, this restaurant features classic Peruvian dishes with a Maui influence thanks to the incorporation of fresh, local ingredients. In addition to serving both lunch and dinner, it offers a daily happy hour (actually, three hours from 2 to 5 pm) and live music or DJs on Friday and Saturday nights.

Set in an intimate location on the beach, Mama's has been the Maui destination for special occasions for almost four decades. A path of gecko-shape stones leads to an ever-changing fantasyland of Hawaiian kitsch, where savvy servers can explain the various fish types and preparations, and you'd be wise to heed their recommendation; the fish is so fresh that the daily menu lists who caught it that morning.

One of the go-to places for airport comers and goers, this popular Italian restaurant also draws a steady crowd of residents, mainly for business lunches. Meatballs, sausages, and sauces are all made in-house, a long list of sandwiches is available all day, and the affordable salads are big enough to share. Substitutions or special requests are not recommended.

Momona is the Hawaiian word for "sweet," and this place definitely lives up to its name with the variety of flaky treats that are available every morning. The bakery is especially known for its cinnamon rolls and its medialunas, Argentinean croissants with sweet or savory fillings such as Nutella, dulce de leche, custard, lilikoi (passionfruit), or ham and cheese. In addition to baked goods, you'll also find sandwiches and dishes like avocado toast. The coffee is available with your choice of four types of milk, various sweeteners, and cinnamon or other toppings that perfectly complement the confections.

The wooden surfboards hanging above the bar and surf videos playing in the background create a decidedly chill vibe at this buzzing restaurant, the creation of Hawaii celebrity-chef Peter Merriman. He offers a menu that highlights local bounty, with such standout dishes as poke tacos, lobster deviled eggs, and wood-fired pizzas.

Don't be fooled by the casual warehouse setting, as this family-owned and -operated restaurant is one of the best places for Thai food on Maui. Dishes here are made using fresh ingredients, homemade sauces, and imported specialty items, and your food comes out quickly and hot through a self-service window in the open-air dining area.

This roadside Thai food truck fronts the 40-acre Maui Nui Farm, owned by Nui and Kit, so you can stop to grab a bite and then tour the beautiful farm. Although the menu changes with the seasons, everything is delicious, and the curry and pad Thai are perennial favorites.

This off-the-beaten-path izakaya-style Japanese eatery is worth the trek to sleepy Haiku. The eclectic menu includes everything from specialty French fries and fusion sushi rolls to sashimi and some of the best tempura around—all based on what's fresh from local farmers and fishermen. Nuka is the Japanese word for rice bran, and the restaurant mills its own rice and creates pickles from the byproduct of the milling process.

A stop at this popular coffee spot, tucked just behind the main buildings on Hana Highway, is a great way to start or end the day. Grab a coffee or tea along with avocado toast or banana bread for breakfast or lunch, or come during happy hour (2 to 5 pm) for a reasonably priced, island-fresh cocktail followed by live music (four nights a week) or trivia (Wednesday night).

Fresh gelato made with locally sourced ingredients is the big draw here (try Surfing Goat Dairy's Lilikoi Quark flavor and thank us later). You'll also find jams, jellies, and dressings from Jeff Gomes, coffees from Maui Coffee Roasters, and picnic lunches from Hana Lunch Co.

This small place packs a powerhouse of a menu with reasonably priced pizzas, pastas, salads, and sandwiches. As the restaurant's name suggests, several dishes feature penne, and portions tend to be generous enough so that two people can easily split a salad and entrée and leave completely sated.

For a little break from the Maui sun and fruity cocktails, spend an afternoon digging into elegant pub fare backed by an excellent, expert cocktail program with a focus on whiskey. This is the type of place where you want to sit at the bar and talk story with the bartender (if they’re not busy), and, though it may not seem like it at first glance, this is a family-friendly restaurant—it even has a keiki (kids) menu. 

When it opened in 1995, this was a counter-service pizza place, but it's evolved over into a local favorite, serving Mediterranean-style pizza and comfort food including pitas, gyros, and kabobs.

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.

A Makawao staple since 1981 and set in the town's only intersection, Polli's is a lively Mexican restaurant that serves up the island's best fish tacos. The portions are generous, with classic fajitas, burritos, and enchiladas, and there are vegetarian options, too.

This family-run restaurant serves authentic flavors from Mexico City and just about everything—from the furniture to the artisanal plates on the wall—has been brought directly from Mexico as well. All menu items are made in-house—try Grandma’s classic chicken mole recipe, which packs in more than 25 ingredients.

Locals have been flocking to this off-the-beaten-path gem for years, lured in by the reliably delicious family-style Vietnamese cuisine at decent prices. It's tucked behind a nondescript overpass—and only recently did management put a sign on the building—but you can't go wrong with the green papaya salad, mixed fondue, and the make-your-own Vietnamese burritos.