South Shore Maui Restaurant Reviews

South Shore Maui Restaurant Reviews

Alexander's Famous Fish
Address: 1913 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/874-0788
www.alexandersfish.com
Price range: $
Cuisine: Seafood
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
Across from the beach in sunny Kihei, Alexander's has been an affordable Maui favorite since 1990. Famous for its tempura batter, this mostly takeout spot uses sauces from secret family recipes. Select from daily fish such as ahi, ono, and mahimahi, and have it charbroiled, grilled Cajun style, or fried with tempura. Pile on sides such as Southern coleslaw, french fries, or hapa rice: a blend of brown and white. You've got to try the lovely Cajun fish tacos with mango salsa. There are also kiawe-smoked barbecue ribs and kids' meals. You can carry your meal to the beach, or dine at one of the outdoor tables.
Credit Cards: MC, V

Cafe O'Lei
Address: 2439 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/891-1368
Price range: $$
Cuisine: American
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
This is where locals go on their day off. Chef-owners Michael and Dana Pastula are known to dish up fabulously fresh tastes at affordable prices. Huge portions at lunch and dinner include Manoa lettuce wraps filled with chicken, mushrooms, and water chestnuts; crab cakes; and quinoa salads packed with local eggplant and creamy goat cheese. Order sushi from the bar in back or baked clams and giant tiger prawns from the brick oven. Other popular items are fresh fish, macadamia-nut chicken breast, and Asian short ribs. Gauze curtains separate tables nicely set with white linens and bright tableware, and the spacious octagonal bar is great for sharing pupu and sipping cocktails. The Pastulas also have Café O'Lei restaurants in Kahului and Wailuku.
Credit Cards: AE, MC, V

Capische
Address: Diamond Hawaii Resort & Spa, 555 Kaukahi St., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/879-2224 | Reserve Online
www.capische.com
Price range: $$$
Cuisine: Italian
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
Hidden up at the quiet Diamond Hawaii Resort & Spa, this Italian restaurant is one local patrons would like kept secret. A circular stone atrium with soaring ceilings gives way to a small piano lounge and balcony, where you can find some of the best sunset views on the island. Below is a lovely garden seating area. It's as romantic as it gets. Capische favorites include cioppino with saffron tomato basil broth; braised lamb shank osso buco style with lemon risotto; and truffle grilled ahi with sautéed butternut squash, Kula corn sauce, and wilted frisée. Intimate and well conceived, this restaurant, with its seductive flavors and ambience, ensures a lovely night out. Il Teatre downstairs is owner-chef Brian Etheredge's fine-dining concept, where he designs and cooks your menu in front of you.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

DUO Steak and Seafood
Address: Four Seasons Resort Maui, 3900 Wailea Ala Nui Drive, Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/874-8000
www.fourseasons.com/maui
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Steak
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
At the Four Seasons Resort Maui's newest restaurant in tony Wailea, slicing into a well-marbled porterhouse steak is just one of the pleasures. All of the beef on the menu is prime and perfectly aged. Dip the meaty morsels into fun sauces including green peppercorn, béarnaise, and merlot, and sip a frothy martini in a colorful designer glass. Or try the fish specialties, from oysters Rockefeller to the seafood tower served in a silver-coated octopus sculpture. Sides range from creamed spinach to macaroni and cheese. Don't forget to check out the foyer bar with its chic contemporary decor and crowd of beautiful people, and take a peek into the state-of-the-art open kitchen. By day, this fine-dining restaurant is transformed by screens into the main breakfast room.
Credit Cards: AE, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Ferraro's Bar e Ristorante
Address: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/874-8000
www.fourseasons.com/maui
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Italian
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
Overlooking the ocean from a bluff above Wailea Beach, this outdoor Italian restaurant at the Four Seasons Resort Maui is beautiful both day and night, with unparalleled service. For lunch, indulge in a lobster sandwich, salad niçoise, or a bento. At dinner you might begin your feast with the arugula and endive salad and move on to the lobster risotto and veal Milanese while enjoying live classical music under the stars. Try the wine list's excellent Italian choices, and if chef Michael Cantin is offering one of his periodic tasting menus—such as white Alba truffles in fall—go for it. Occasionally you can catch celebrities gossiping at the bar.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Hakone
Address: Maui Prince, 5400 Makena Alanui Rd., Makena, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/874-1111
Price range: $$$
Cuisine: Japanese
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
The Japanese food served at this popular restaurant in the Maui Prince Hotel has a great reputation with locals. Saturday, the all-you-can-eat Japanese Buffet ($48) draws them in like moths to a flame. Indulge in seaweed salads, kabocha pumpkin and cranberries, miso butterfish, shrimp tempura, and kalbi beef. The regular menu offers numerous dishes of raw, cooked, hot, cold, sweet, and savory items. Impeccably fresh sushi, traditional cooked dishes, and an impressive sake list round out the menu. You may even get a degree in sake to take home with you if you try one of the samplers. The ambience takes you into the heart of Tokyo with its shoji screens, austere look, and servers dressed in kimonos.
Credit Cards: AE, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Humuhumunukunukuapuaa
Address: Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa, 3850 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/875-1234
www.grandwailea.com
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Modern Hawaiian
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
You don't have to wrestle with the restaurant's formidable name (it's Hawaii's state fish); simply tell the valet or concierge that you're headed to Humuhumu. Romantic, exotic, and good for a special occasion, this oceanfront thatch-roof restaurant at the Grand Wailea has delectable sunsets. From your table, you can watch the fish swim by in the surrounding lagoon and there is a large tank of colorful sea critters at the bar. As for the food, chef Michael Lofaro will impress with such dishes as Malaysian-style rack of lamb finished with mustard, mild sambal (an Asian condiment), and brioche crust; and blue-crab-stuffed hamachi (yellowtail) with garlic-sautéed baby spinach. The cocktails are over the top, especially the tropical ones.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Joe's
Address: 131 Wailea Ike Pl., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/875-7767
www.bevgannonrestaurants.com
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: American
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
Owners Joe and Beverly Gannon, who run the immensely popular Haliimaile General Store in Upcountry Maui, have brought their flair for food to this comfortable treetop-level restaurant at the Wailea Tennis Club. Views include the sparkling Pacific on one side and vistas of Haleakala on the other. This place is named after Joe, who's been in show biz for decades, instead of his celebrity chef wife. So his gold records and other memorabilia hang on the walls. Friendly service and the best burger on the island draw residents as well as visitors. Top menu items include Joe's favorite meat loaf, grilled thick-cut pork chop, seafood potpie, and Joe's pastry chef daughter Cheech's chocolate bread pudding.
Credit Cards: AE, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Joy's Place
Address: In Island Surf Bldg., 1993 S. Kihei Rd., Suite 17, Kihei, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/879-9258
Price range: $
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
You may see Joy in the back of this small spot, whipping up one of the fantastic, vitamin-packed soups that reflect her healthful culinary wizardry. Try a sandwich or collard-green wrap filled with veggies and a creamy spread, or a nut burger with nondairy cheese. Joy's is also known for free-range turkey, avocado, and cheese sandwiches, and they poach fresh, locally caught tuna for fresh tuna salad. Almost everything is made from scratch, including organic cookies and vegan brownies. If you have a hint of a cold, a spicy potion called Cold Buster is available to ward it off. Other healthful refreshers include the CranMint Cooler and the Spiced Iced Tea. Children will find a fun menu; and adults may sign up for occasional vegetarian cooking classes.
Credit Cards: MC, V

Kihei Caffe
Address: 1945 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/879-2230
Price range: $
Cuisine: American
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
People-watching is fun over a cup of coffee at this casual breakfast and lunch joint right across from the beach in Kihei. Hearty, affordable portions will prepare you for surfing across the street at Kalama Park. The bowl-shaped egg scramble is tasty and almost enough for two, or try signature dishes such as the Hawaiian favorite loco moco (a hamburger patty and over-easy egg on top of rice, slathered in brown gravy), pork fried rice, and chorizo and eggs. Opakapaka (blue snapper) with lilikoi (passion fruit) beurre blanc is popular lunch fare. The resident rooster, one of many that live under the building, may come a-beggin' for some of your muffin. This place closes at 3.
Credit Cards: MC, V Closed: No dinner

Ko
Address: Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/875-4100
www.fairmont.com/kealani
Price range: $$$
Cuisine: Pacific Rim
Location: The South Shore
Write a review
Translated from Hawaiian, this restaurant's name means "cane," as in sugarcane. The menu borrows treasured family recipes and cuisines from the sugar plantation camp days of old and adds a modern, gourmet twist. Ko opened in 2008 in the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui's open-air Caffe Ciao location (though Caffe Ciao's gourmet deli remains a popular pit stop next door). Its plantation-inspired cuisine covers all the bases from Japanese lobster tempura to Filipino steamed fresh Manila clams with chorizo. Ko is bigger than a concept, says Executive Chef Tylun Pang: it's about the people in Hawaii. Represented cultures include Chinese, Korean, Puerto Rican, Portuguese, and Hawaiian. For dessert, you've gotta try the gourmet shave ice or the hot malassadas (a kind of fried doughnut).
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Maalaea Grill
Address: In the Harbor Shops, 300 Maalaea Rd., Maalaea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/243-2206
Price range: $$
Cuisine: American
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
Large French doors are kept open so that you can view Maalaea Harbor and feel the ocean breezes in this casual seaside restaurant. The teak and bamboo furniture, intimate lounge area, and exhibition kitchen lend sophistication to this otherwise happily relaxed establishment. Enjoy the light but satisfying blackened mahimahi with tropical fruit salsa, kiawe-wood-grilled New York steak with house-made onion rings, or shrimp prepared a variety of ways: coconut fried, sautéed Provençale, or garlic grilled with pesto. Live jazz music is performed Wednesday through Sunday. This may be one of the only restaurants on Maui in which you can enjoy ocean views until 9 PM, as the harbor and Kihei beyond are backlighted.
Credit Cards: AE, MC, V

Matteo's
Address: 100 Wailea Ike Dr., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/874-1234
www.matteospizzeria.com
Price range: $$
Cuisine: Italian
Location: The South Shore
Write a review | Avg. member rating: 3.2/5
Fodor's Review:
Chef Matteo Mitsura—a bona-fide Italian—may be heard singing as he pounds dough in the kitchen of this miraculous pizzeria. The former chef of Ferraro's at the Four Seasons, this man can cook! And he does so at reasonable prices. (Trust us, discovering handsomely size Margherita and Portofino pizzas for $17 in Wailea is truly a miracle.) The Cowboy is a wild one with barbecue sauce, chicken, and fontina cheese. Handmade pappardelle pasta is loaded with luxurious braised lamb, wild mushrooms, and fresh-shaved Parmesan. Located on the Wailea Blue golf course, this casual, open-air restaurant benefits from gentle trade winds in the afternoon and a sky full of stars at night. A voluptuous wine list and desserts such as tiramisu top it off.
Credit Cards: AE, D, MC, V

Mulligan's on the Blue
Address: 100 Kaukahi St., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/874-1131
www.mulligansontheblue.com
Price range: $$
Cuisine: Irish
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
When you have a hankering for Irish fare such as bangers and mash, shepherd's pie, and corned beef and cabbage, head to this popular pub and restaurant on the Wailea Blue golf course. A nearly all-Irish staff greets you, and before you know it, you'll be sipping a heady pint of Guinness with a four-leaf clover drawn on top. The Wailea Nights dinner show with different kinds of live music is outstanding—and a terrific deal to boot. This is the St. Paddy's Day and Cinco de Mayo headquarters of Maui, never mind the latter is a Mexican holiday. Breakfast is a good value for the area, and the view of the golf course and ocean is one of the best.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Nick's Fishmarket Maui
Reservations 
Address: Fairmont Kea Lani, 4100 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/879-7224 | Reserve Online
www.tristarrestaurants.com
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Seafood
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
This romantic spot serves fresh seafood using the simplest preparations. Savor the grilled ahi mignon served medium rare with polenta fries and sauce au poivre; or the seared diver scallops with herb gnocchi, local mushrooms, asparagus tips, and Parmesan nage. Everyone seems to love the Greek Maui Wowie salad made with local onions, tomatoes, avocado, feta cheese, and bay shrimp. The service is formal—even theatrical—but it befits the beautiful food presentations and extensive wine list. If you are a repeat diner, the staff will probably remember what drink is your favorite.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Sarento's on the Beach
Address: 2980 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/875-7555
www.tristarrestaurants.com
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Italian
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
This upscale Italian restaurant's setting right on spectacular Keawakapu Beach, with views of Molokini and Kahoolawe, is irresistible. Chef Geno Sarmiento heads the kitchen which turns out such gems as wild tiger shrimp served over house-made ravioli of ricotta cheese, Yukon Gold potato puree, and white truffle oil; seafood fra diavolo (in a tomato sauce spiced with chilies); and swordfish saltimbocca, a strangely successful entrée with a prosciutto, Bel Paese cheese, radicchio, and porcini sauce. Meat lovers should try the fall-off-the-bone tender osso buco with spicy gremolata. The wine list includes some great finds. The owner's wife is a personal trainer, so there's also a "Trainer's Menu" of healthful picks.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Seascape Maalaea
Address: 192 Maalaea Rd., Maalaea, HI, 96793
Phone: 808/270-7000
www.mauioceancenter.com
Price range: $$
Cuisine: Seafood
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
A good choice for a seafood lunch, the Maui Ocean Center's signature restaurant offers harbor views from its open-air perch above the parking lot. On the back wall, giant windows look into the famous aquarium's Edge of the Reef exhibit. Two popular dishes are the Local Boy club, a triple-decker sandwich with layers of lobster and shrimp salads in dill aioli; and the Molokini, grilled sashimi grade ahi with shiitake mushrooms and sun-dried tomato buerre blanc. Dining here is a heart-healthful, ocean-friendly experience featuring sustainable seafood and trans-fat-free items. Kids love their own menu. Aquarium admission is not required; ask directions at the front gate.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No dinner

Seawatch
Address: 100 Golf Club Dr., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/875-8080
Price range: $$$
Cuisine: American
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
The Plantation House's South Shore sister restaurant has equally outstanding views and an equally delicious menu. Breakfast is especially nice here—the outdoor seating is cool in the morning and overlooks the parade of boats heading out to Molokini. The crab-cake Benedicts are a well-loved standard. For dinner, try longtime chef Todd Carlos' Thai beef in a martini glass with fresh coconut milk and lemongrass; or his Huikau Eke of island catch, Alaskan scallops and tiger prawns in parchment paper—opened table-side to release the aromatics. Regarding the "brownie all the way" dessert, one regular says it "serves a deep need." Weddings and other large functions may be booked here.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Spago
Reservations by
Address: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, 3900 Wailea Alanui Dr., Wailea, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/879-2999 | Reserve Online
www.spagomaui.com
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Pacific Rim
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
Celebrity chef and owner Wolfgang Puck wisely brought his fame to this gorgeous, popular-with-celebs restaurant set lobby level and oceanfront at the Four Seasons Resort Maui. Giant sea-anemone prints, modern-art-inspired lamps, and views of the shoreline give you something to look at while waiting. The cutting-edge menu delivers with appetizers such as spicy ahi poke in sesame miso cones and entrées such as Thai seafood in red coconut curry; pan-roasted organic free-range chicken breast; and lamb chops with spicy Hunan eggplant, sweet peas, and chili mint vinaigrette. Chef Cameron Lewark's tasting menu, paired with wines, is a treat.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

Stella Blues
Address: 1279 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/874-3779
www.stellablues.com
Price range: $$
Cuisine: American
Location: The South Shore
Write a review
Fodor's Review:
Centrally located in Azeka Mauka marketplace, this freestanding restaurant is affordable and spacious. It wins die-hard fans for unpretentious service and cuisine, and its open-beam, warmly lighted dining room is unexpectedly classy. The menu is a major hit, especially with families, and the bar is great for surfer-dude watching. Plus, there is a private party room complete with pool tables and other games. Comfort food of every sort is served at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including grilled New York steak (dry-aged and all-natural from Maui Cattle Co.); Sunshine Daydream seafood stew in a white saffron tomato broth; and yellow coconut curry for vegetarians. The ample Bananas Foster Our Way features vanilla ice cream topped with caramelized bananas, macadamia nuts, and whipped cream.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Thailand Cuisine
Address: In Kukui Mall, 1819 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/875-0839
Price range: $
Cuisine: Thai
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
Fragrant tea and coconut-ginger chicken soup begin a satisfying meal at this excellent Thai restaurant, set unassumingly in the middle of a casual shopping mall. The care and expense that goes into the decor—reflected in the glittering Buddhist shrines, fancy napkin folds, and matching blue china—also applies to the cuisine. Take an exotic journey with pad thai noodles; beef salad with scallions, tomatoes, cucumber, and mint; or yellow curry with potatoes, carrots and your choice of protein. Can't decide? Try the family dinners for two or four. The fried bananas with ice cream are wonderful. If you are in Central Maui, there is a second location in Kahului's Maui Mall.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V

Waterfront Restaurant
Address: 50 Hauoli St., Maalaea, HI, 96793
Phone: 808/244-9028
www.waterfrontrestaurant.net
Price range: $$$$
Cuisine: Seafood
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
The Smith family lures you in hook, line, and fresh catch at this award-winning harborside establishment with an outstanding menu, great wine list, and exceptional service. Choose from six types of fresh fish prepared in nine different ways, including baked in buttered parchment paper; captured in ribbons of angel-hair potato; and topped with tomato salsa, smoked chili pepper, and avocado. The varied menu also lists outstanding game meats along with rack of lamb and veal scaloppine. Do try the Caesar salad, tossed in an entertaining show table-side. Enter Maalaea at the Maui Ocean Center and then follow the blue waterfront restaurant signs to the third condominium. Come early if you want to dine at sunset on the lanai.
Credit Cards: AE, D, DC, MC, V Closed: No lunch

WokStar International Noodle Café
Address: Kihei Kalama Village, 1913D S. Kihei Rd., Kihei, HI, 96753
Phone: 808/495-0066
Price range: $
Cuisine: Pacific Rim
Location: The South Shore
Fodor's Review:
This fun, easy-on-the-budget eatery, across the street from the humpback whale sculpture in Kihei, has a walk-up counter and picnic tables. The name may imply that it's part of some global conglomerate, but this is the first and only one of its kind. You'll find everything from Thai red curry with seasonal vegetables to Japanese miso ramen soup and Balinese stir-fries. The young owners try to stay open until midnight seven nights a week for those hungry after "pub crawling" through the many nearby bars and lounges.
Credit Cards: AE, MC, V