Eating Maui The Salty Tribe Style

tHERE ARE ALOT OF PLACES TO EAT ON MAUI, i'M GONNA JUST GIVE A RUN DOWN OF OUR PERSONAL FAVORITE SPOTS. tHESE PLACES WEre ALL REASONABLY PRICED AND LOCAL FAVORITES. 

coconuts fish cafe

1279 S Kihei Rd,

Kihei, HI 96753

Phone. 808-875-9979

This boasts a great fish taco and did they sure did deliver on that! This spot is located in a strip mall next door to a cute coffee shop in Kihei and winner of many awards for their tacos. When we pulled up, we laughed at the fact there was a random rooster running around in the parking lot of the strip mall. The place is quaint with pilenty of seating. There were alot of great reviews online and were so glad we popped in! The fish was so fresh and the mango salsa.. so ono!! Stop in here for a quick lunch. They open early too! The service is always impeccable! Cruise thru there fersure. 

JAWS FOOD TRUCK

On the Road to Makena Off of Makena Alanui Rd/ S Makena Rd. 

No Exact Address available 

WE LOVE JAWS TACOS FOOD TRUCK, MAUKA SIDE ON THE ROAD TO BIG BEACH

MAKE SURE YOU GO TO THE FOOD TRUCK AND NOT THE JAWS TACO IN THE STRIP MALL! WE MADE THIS ERROR AT FIRST AND ENDED UP IN THE JAWS TACO AT THE STRIP MALL. THE OWNER WAS SUPER KIND, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE HE DID NOT GET ALOT OF TRAFFIC EITHER. IT WAS MORE OF A HOLE-IN-THE-WALL JOINT THAT SOLD MEDIOCRE TACOS. SO MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THAT EXTRA 10 MIN DRIVE DOWN TO MAKENA/BIG BEACH AREA AND HIT UP THE FOOD TRUCK. I DO HAVE TO WARN YOU THOUGH THE TACOS AREN'T CHEAP. ABOUT $8 A TACO BUT THEY WERE GOOD! 

Maui's WEST SIDE

(Best Luau on the island)

(aBOVE: Image of the view from Betty's Bar towards the Luau, so you do get a good view!)

Old Lahaina Luau is the best luau on Maui, but if are on a budget and can not afford the price check out Betty's Bar on 505 Front Street in Old Lahaina town. Try to get there at least a hour before the sunsets. Sit in a booth closest to the windows and enjoy the show! 

Maui Brewing Co.

We love our IPAs, especially my husband. We are fortunate to have some really rad breweries here in San Diego, Coronado Brewing Company being our most favorite, and Maui Brewing Company was our 'home away from home' beverage spot. Huge selections of brews on tap that are sure to cover every palette and legitemately made VERY WELL.   We came during the lunch hour on a weekday and it was pretty relaxed, however, go there on an evening and you are going to be waiting at least a half hour for a seat. They just opened a new location in Kihei which at this time serves only beer. There are different food trucks there daily that are host to those lunch and dinner time appetites. Maui Brewing Company is a MUST on your Maui to-do list. We always tried to pop in during Happy Hour, that way we got to try a variety of things on their menus and still be friendly on the pocketbook. Our two favorites were the Kahlua Pork Nachos and the Panniolo Tacos. 

                      

                                            

 (Left:Kahlua Pork Nachos)

(Below: Panniolo Tacos with radish & 

kimchi aioli)

Okazuya & Deli

This spot was good! I liked everything I ordered from there. Fast service hot food and your typical polynesian style lunch served next to your choice of rice or macaroni salad.

Next to Okazuya is Ono tacos, If you are from California and are always on a Mexican food kick like I am Ono tacos is the spot. It is as close to mexican as you are going to get on the island. I wasn't too stoked on the ceviche there...it wasn't the ceviche tostada with mayo and avocado like I was used to here in California. All of the other stuff was up to par for eating mexican food on the island. This is in the same strip mall as Ono Tacos and the Fish Market so be prepared to find a parking spot. It is tight parking in there and the spaces seem to be made for really small cars 

The Fish Market Maui

3600 Honoapiilani Rd # L, Lahaina, HI 96761

Located a couple doors down from Okazuya & Ono tacos. This place offers fresh fish and store overflowing with people is a clear sign this place not only an island favorite, but a big tourist favorite. All I gotta say is stop in and go get yourself something from here. Anything. It is all good. 

Pizza Paradiso

3350 Lower Honoapiilani Rd

Lahaina, Maui

Ok, truth be told, this place was a huge surprise to me! Just the whole pizza combined with greek food seemed like a turn off - at first! I ordered the kabobs (chicken one night & the beef another night), it came with fresh hummus and pieces of pita bread & tabouleh with tzatziki sauce! There was a big menu (which was overwhelming at first glance) but everything is delicious. If you have room left in your stomach, there is even a gelato bar there! Talk about 'A WIN!'

NORTHSIDE MAUI

Tiffany Bar & Grill

Wailuku

1424 Lower Main St

Wailuku, HI 96763

Tiffany Bar & Grill HANDS DOWN PEOPLE was my ALL TIME favorite spot on the island! These folks spoke my love language!! The kimchi fried rice and walnut shrimp were off the hook!!! I wouldn't steer you wrong on this one. This is a family dining establishment that serves the locals.Meals are served 'Family Style'; bigger size plates that allows you to try a bit of everything. We were invited by some local friends, they knew we did not like the regular touristy spots and felt this was a great way to show us everyday type of out to eat dining on Maui. We arrived early and parked in the empty lot across the street. We walked inside to a large aquarium, which the kids loved and big screens Tvs everywhere with the Cowboys playing on the Tv. Hawai'ians love their football. Our friends ordered the plates and they were very prompt in serving us. We sat and ate til we couldn't eat anymore and let me say again, that kimchi fried rice.....I have NO WORDS! Even sitting here in San Diego typing this, I want kimchi fried rice for breakfast. Tiffany's got me, hook, line, and sinker. 
 When we got back to the resort, the staff overheard us speaking of Tiffany's and no sooner than the name was mentioned there was a big group of folks standing around us conversing about how awesome the food is at this place and how they attributed their happy bellies to the Tiffany kimchi fried rice. I just laughed feeling good that we hit the jackpot! It isn't super healthy by all means, but it is some down home Asian cooking, stuff that brings me back to my youth. FYI, Be sure to get in there early to get a seat. Go hungry and with respect and kindness. 

Tasty Crust Restaurant
1770 Mill St
Wailuku

This is another great spot down the street from Tiffany's Bar & Maui Brown Lotion Co. 
More of a pancake and Asian breakie, type of spot and is also another local favorite. The parking lot is ALWAYS FULL! It is on Mill St., in the older side of Maui. You see alot of dilapidated buildings over here but it is absolutely beautiful! There is an old hangar that was up cycled into a huge laundromat for the locals and it is certainly uniquely beautiful in its own way over in Wailuku. 

East 'Windward' Side

  The windward side of the island is exactly that, windy. Expect alot of kite surfing and relax hippie kind of vibe on this side. Sort of a booming part of Maui with the hustle and bustle of hoales, as well as Hawai'ians cruising thru. This part of town takes you to Makawao (there is a siick bakery there, that I have yet to try out!)  and continues the Hana Highway route. Here are some good spots in this area.


Paia Flatbread co has the best flat bread pizzas and is right across from the Paia Fish Market and sells good pesce eats too!! Both are exactly across the street from each other so if you want to try both places in one afternoon you certainly can! 

Kuau Store on the 'makai'  of Hana Hwy, just right before you pass Mama's Fish House , has just opened and has been open now for almost a year. They carry a wide variety of organic, gluten free, kosher, vegan grocery as well as fresh deli items. They also carry Boar's Head brand deli meat which makes for a great snack or picnic to take on your drive down Hana Highway. In our case, Ho'okipa Point (the windward side of Maui), this windy side is where you will see alot of kite surfing taking place. Ho'okipa Point was very windy on the day we went. It was low tide and made for a wonderful picnic playing in the tide pools all along the shallow reef beds. 

There are so many wonderful place to eat on the island but these were a few of our personal favorites that needed and deserved the attention. The attention to the details; from the food to the costumer service. It was noted and deserved a blog post to share with you all out there. Hope you try some of these places out and shoot a comment or tag me on Instagram!  As in filipino we say Sarap! Which means delicious!