Maui's Best
Fine-Dining (Expensive) Restaurants
PLANTATION HOUSE 669-6299 Kapalua
In the Plantation Golf Course clubhouse above Kapalua. My favorite
Maui restaurant. Wonderful Hawaiian/Mediterranean food in an elegant
setting. Two or three kinds of fish in your choice of five or six different
preparations, plus meats and (by request) vegetarian. Make a reservation
and come early (5:30 PM) to get a good seat for the spectacular view of
sunset. For top service at dinner, ask for Derrick to be your waiter, and
tell him Rosie and Jon sent you. A great dessert here is Bananas Foster.
Also open for delicious breakfasts and lunches. More details including
menu and photos at this link:
Plantation House
HULA GRILL 667-6636 OR 661-3894 Kaanapali Beach
In Whalers Village shopping center. Good view of ocean and sunset.
Excellent dinners, including fish and meats.
Very good lunch (salads, pizza, sandwiches). More details including
menu and photos at this link:
Hula Grill
HALIIMAILE GENERAL STORE 572-2666 Haliimaile
Creative preparations of delicious seafoods and meats. In upcountry
area, a one-hour drive from Kaanapali or 45 minutes from Wailea, but worth
the trip. Open for both lunch and dinner on weekdays, but weekends are
dinner only. More details including menu and photos at this link:
Haliimaile General Store
LAHAINA GRILL (formerly David Paul's) 667-5117 Lahaina
The food is innovative Pacific Rim cuisine and the service is
excellent. A couple examples of their unusual and beautiful preparations:
Reconstructed California Roll (appetizer stack of crab, avocado, and rice);
Maui Martini (a salad, not a drink, in a martini glass). It's in the
center of Lahaina, just off Front Street, on Lahainaluna Road. Very
expensive. More details including menu and photos at this link:
David Paul's Lahaina Grill
MALA 667-9394 Lahaina
Tapas (small plates) and full-size dinners of tasty and beautifully presented variety of
foods by Mark Ellman, former owner-chef of Avalon. Ask for him by name and
tell him that Rosie and Jon sent you. Wonderful Caramel Miranda dessert.
Ocean front with indoor and outdoor seating. Across the street from
the ocean side of the Lahaina Cannery Mall (Safeway grocery store).
More details including menu and photos at this link:
Mala
CASCADES 661-1234 Kaanapali Beach
In the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Three kinds of fish in choices of six
different preparations, plus other seafood and meats, plus sushi. Some
tables are outdoors, where the sunset view is beautiful. The coconut crème
brule is a wonderful dessert. More details including menu and photos
at this link:
Cascades
PINEAPPLE GRILL 669-9600
Kapalua
In the Bay Golf Course clubhouse.
Innovative preparations, very good food, beautiful decor, views of golf course and hills and
ocean. More details including menu and photos at this link:
Pineapple Grill
TOMMY BAHAMA’S 875-9983 Wailea
In the Shops at Wailea shopping center. Very
good food, beautifully presented. Very expensive. More details
including menu and photos at this link:
Tommy Bahama's
I’O 661-8422 Lahaina
In the 505 shopping center in Lahaina. Very tasty unusual preparations
of several kinds of fresh fish, as well as other great entrees. Beautiful
indoor décor, or sunset-view outdoor dining by the ocean. Same owner and
chef as Pacific O. More details including menu and photos at this
link:
Io Maui Restaurant
SARENTO'S ON THE BEACH 875-7555
Kihei
On the south end of Kihei, just north of Wailea (former
location of Carelli’s On The Beach).
Very elegant, very expensive, beautiful sunset view. More details
including menu and photos at this link:
Sarento's On The Beach
PACIFIC O 667-4341 Lahaina
In Lahaina at 505 Front Street shopping center. Very tasty Pacific
Rim Cuisine, beautifully prepared, oceanfront setting, indoors or out, lunch
or dinner. Great sunset view, especially at the outdoor tables.
More details including menu and photos at this link:
Pacific O
ROY'S KAHANA BAR & GRILL 669-6999 Kahana
Upstairs in the Kahana Gateway shopping center, a couple miles north of
Kaanapali Beach. Wonderful food but busy and noisy. For great service, ask
for Jill to be your waitress, and tell her Jon and Rosie sent you. Pacific
Rim Cuisine. Great chocolate souffle for dessert. More details
including menu and photos at this link:
Roy's Restaurant Maui
ROY’S KIHEI 891-1120 Kihei
In the Pilani Village shopping center in Kihei. Similar menu to Roy’s
Kahana. Often noisy. More details including menu and photos at
this link:
Roy's Restaurant Maui
CHEZ PAUL 661-3843
Olowalu
On the main highway four miles south of Lahaina.
Elegant small French restaurant with gourmet food in delicious creamy
sauces. More details including menu and photos at this link:
Chez Paul
LAHAINA FISH CO. 661-3472
Lahaina
Oceanfront at 831 Front Street in the middle of
Lahaina. Wide variety of fish types and preparations. More
details including menu and photos at this link:
Lahaina Fish Co.
LONGHI'S 667-2286 Lahaina, or 891-8883
Wailea.
Famous longstanding restaurant at 888 Front Street in
the north part of Lahaina, plus a new branch at the Shops of Wailea.
Good breakfasts, pasta and many other choices at lunch and dinner.
More details including menu and photos at this link:
Longhi's
NICK’S FISHMARKET 879-7224 Wailea
In the Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel in Wailea. Fabulous service: the best
of any restaurant on Maui. Fabulous food (great seafood, with some chicken
and beef available as well). Even the salad course (their own Maui Wowie
salad) made me say “Wow!” Beautiful open-air room. Very expensive.
More details including menu and photos at this link:
Nick's Fishmarket
MAMA'S FISH HOUSE 579‑8488 Paia
This is a one‑hour drive from Kaanapali Beach, or 45 minutes from
Wailea, but worth the trip. The best fresh fish preparations on Maui. Very
expensive. Excellent for lunch or supper, but go before sunset to get the
view of big ocean waves on the north shore.
www.mamasfishhouse.com
WATERFRONT MAALAEA 244-9028
Maalaea
This restaurant at the south end of Maui's central
valley specializes in seafood. The outdoor tables have great views.
More details including menu and photos at this link:
Waterfront Maalaea
HUMUHUMU 875-1234 Wailea
In the Grand Wailea hotel. Full name of this restaurant is
humuhumunukunukuapuaa, named after the Hawaiian state fish. Airy Polynesian
setting with gorgeous sunset views from some tables. (Make a reservation
and arrive when they open at 5:30 to get one of the sunset view tables.)
Delicious food with interesting preparations, but the portions are not as
large as at many other top Maui restaurants. More details including
menu and photos at this link:
Humuhumu
SEAWATCH 875-8080 Wailea
At Gold and Emerald golf course in Wailea. Great food, beautifully
presented, beautiful views. More details including menu and photos at
this link:
Seawatch
SPATS 661-1234 Kaanapali
In the Hyatt Regency Maui hotel on Kaanapali Beach.
Excellent Italian indoor restaurant. More details including menu and
photos at this link:
Spats
SWAN COURT 661-1234
Kaanapali
This beautiful setting in the Hyatt Regency Hotel on
Kaanapali Beach serves a lavish buffet breakfast seven days per week.
More details including menu and photos at this link:
Swan Court
LAHAINA STORE GRILLE & OYSTER BAR 661-9090
Lahaina
Rooftop dining with a view of ocean and mountains.
At 744 Front Street, across the street from the Seawall. More details
including menu and photos at this link:
Lahaina Store Grille &
Oyster Bar
FIVE PALMS 879-2607 Kihei
In the Mana Kai condos,
at the south end of Kihei. Excellent food, beautifully
presented, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinner is in a lovely
dining room, where window tables have a close-up ocean view, and a good
sunset view. More details including menu and photos at this link:
Five Palms Beach Grill
BANYAN TREE at the RITZ CARLTON HOTEL 669-6200
Kapalua
Very good food with elegant service, but very expensive.
www.ritzcarlton.com/resorts/kapalua/dining/venues/banyan_tree
SEAHOUSE at the NAPILI KAI BEACH RESORT 669-1500
Napili
In Napili. Great view of Napili Bay for
breakfast, lunch or dinner, and especially beautiful at sunset. If you’re coming for the best food,
don’t come on the evenings when they have only a very limited menu for
the keiki hula show. (Call to check.) More details including
menu and photos at this link:
Seahouse
PRINCE COURT at the MAUI PRINCE HOTEL 874-1111
Wailea
Very good food, beautifully presented. Sunset view. Also great Sunday
brunch.
WM The Restaurant 667-7898
Honokowai
Unfortunately, this elegant restaurant CLOSED in 2006.
It was romantic,with dark plush booths, attentive service with
some items prepared tableside, good choices of appetizers, meats and
seafood. Very expensive. More details including menu and photos
at this link:
WM Restaurant Maui.
VINO 661-8466 Kapalua
CLOSED in June of 2007. In the clubhouse of the Village golf course, on Office Road near the
Ritz Carlton. Great variety of delicious tapas (small plates) at dinner.
Also open for lunch. Golf course views. More details including
menu and photos at this link:
Vino
Canoes 661-0937
Lahaina
Overlooking the intersection of Honopiilani Highway at
the north end of Front Street. Maui's largest salad bar. More
details including menu and photos at this link:
Canoes