Best Neighborhood Gem Restaurants in Kahului

Merriman’s has never let us down. We had meatless entrees and we both ate every bite. B ordered pasta from the Starters/Apps menu and I had a mushroom pot pie special. I struggle finding words to adequately describe the flavors, textures, and beauty of the pot pie. A blend of mushrooms and each flavor stood out. The crust was brilliant; absolutely perfect. The dough was stretched over a cast iron pie plate and it had risen probably 4” over the mushrooms inside. And the pastry was delicious. Honestly, a top 5 dining experience of a lifetime of fine food. But salads, yes. Off of the menu, but perfect. Generous portion of very fresh everything. I had the blue cheese crumbles on mine and B went without dairy. Mango, avocado, tomato, greens dressed with subtle citrus dressing. Perfect.

You just can’t go wrong with dinner at Duke’s. We started with wontons that were SO delicious. My husband had the filet mignon which was cooked perfectly and so tender and flavorful. I had the macadamia crusted mahi mahi which was incredible. We finished with the huli pie which is more than plenty for two or three people. We had a reservation and were seated promptly upon arrival at a table with an ocean view. Our server Chloe was so friendly, knowledgeable about the menu and offered superb service. We always plan our trip to Hawaii around our Duke’s reservation. ❤️🌴

We had a great meal on Christmas Day! Our server was excellent…I wish I had gotten his name. We weren’t rushed at all. One thing to note and the management might want to consider: we had a small dog with us and when I looked on website to see if they were dog friendly, I could find anything about that. When I called they said it wasn’t a problem and indeed it wasn’t an issue. They may want to add that information to their website for future guests (apologies if it is there and I just missed it). Thank you for the great day!

We always make it a point to eat at Star Noodle when we come to Maui. It never disappoints. We had miso butter fish, short ribs, and the vegetarian version of the Vietnamese crepe. Everything delicious. We were there for dinner after it was dark, so while we couldn’t enjoy the beachfront views, we could hear the waves crashing. So relieved this happening spot survived the fire.

We are huge fans of Merrimans and Monkeypod Kitchen and visit when we are lucky enough to get a resy and the location in Wailea has the best service despite being in a strip mall a little further from the ocean. Our Christmas Eve lunch did not disappoint. We tried some new things on the menu, their market fish was prepare perfectly and we ended the meal with the pies. The mai tais are also the best in Hawaii.