Where to Eat in Kaanapali, Maui
Wondering where to eat in Kaanapali? This popular west side resort area on Maui offers lots of eateries from which to choose.
Kaanapali makes a great base for a Maui vacation, not only because of the world-famous beach, but also the variety of accommodation choices and the many topnotch restaurants.
Whether you are looking for a fine dining place for a date night, a family-friendly restaurant with a great kids’ menu, or the perfect choice for take-out, our round-up of the best restaurants in Kaanapali has you covered!
Best Restaurants in Kaanapali, Maui
1. Roy’s Kaanapali
There has been a Roy’s on Maui for several decades, but their relocation to Kaanapali is more recent.
A James Beard Award winner, Roy Yamaguchi is a renowned Japanese-American chef with several restaurants on the Hawaiian islands.
The menu at Roy’s features international influences, crafted with care using fresh and seasonal local ingredients. You will find options from the sea and from the land, and every Roy’s we have visited crafts a vegetarian entree with tofu on request.
Roy’s Kaanapali is located within the Kaanapali Resort and overlooks the Kaanapali Golf Course, surrounded by the picturesque West Maui Mountains.
You can visit for lunch or dinner, and while it makes an excellent choice for a special dinner, it is also nice for a family meal, with kids’ menus.
We love the honey mustard glazed beef short ribs and the misoyaki butterfish. The chocolate ganache cake is the perfect ending!
2. Duke’s Beach House
Located in the Honua Kai Resort & Spa, Duke’s Beach House is named for Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, a legendary Hawaiian swimmer and surfer.
Duke’s has a fun and lively ambience and relatively affordable prices, and is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There’s also a barefoot bar that is very popular, as well as live entertainment.
Just steps from the sandy beach, Duke’s offers up expansive ocean views. Look for the smaller islands of Molokai and Lanai offshore as you enjoy your meal.
There are plenty of choices on the menu, with options from land and the sea. They have kids’ menus for each meal. The drinks lists are extensive, with wine, cocktails, and non-alcoholic choices.
We like the fish tacos, the mac nut and herb encrusted fresh fish main dish, and the crispy coconut shrimp appetizer. If you have a sweet tooth, a slice of hula pie is a must!
If you visit for breakfast, be sure to try the banana mac nut pancakes.
3. Hula Grill & Barefoot Bar
With an enviable location right by the water in Kaanapali, Hula Grill offers an open-air kitchen and a barefoot bar for a fun island dining vibe.
True to its name, the Hula Grill features live music and a hula show every evening. It’s open for lunch and dinner everyday, and also has a weekend brunch offering.
Its location in Whalers Village means that for visitors based in Kaanapali, it is easy to access, either on foot via the Kaanapali boardwalk, or using the free Kaanapali trolley. No need to struggle for a parking space!
If you plan to stroll Kaanapali Beach in the evening, the Barefoot Bar at the Hula Grill, right on the beach, is the perfect place for a sundowner. Try the fresh-squeezed mai tai!
When it comes to the menus, you’ll find many dishes showcasing local ingredients and produce.
We love the wood oven flatbreads at lunch, the spicy firecracker fish, and the coconut calamari. On the dinner menu, try the fire-grilled ahi steak or the wood grilled fish, with hula pie or pono pie (made with breadfruit) to finish.
4. Monkeypod Kitchen Kaanapali
Monkeypod Kitchen is known for having the best mai tais on the Hawaiian islands, so you have to try one when you visit! They have a non-alcoholic version as well.
The Kaanapali location of Monkeypod is conveniently set in the Whalers Village Shopping Center. It’s open for lunch, dinner, and happy hour — our favorite time to visit because prices are lower. There’s live music during happy hour.
A Merriman restaurant, Monkeypod Kitchen offers menu items crafted with locally sourced ingredients wherever possible. There are several options for kids as well.
Be sure to try the pizzas (the Hamakua wild mushroom and truffle oil pizza is our fave), and the garlic truffle oil fries.
If you have a sweet tooth, their pies are delightful. We love the strawberry cream pie, made with Kula strawberries, and the coconut cream pie.
5. Japengo
A fine dining restaurant located in the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, Japengo offers Pacific Rim cuisine with fresh local ingredients.
It’s a pricey experience, perfect for a special occasion splurge.
The open-air restaurant, set on the beachfront, features expansive ocean views and views of the island of Lanai.
The menu is à la carte, which we like, because it allows us to try a variety of items every time we visit. There are choices for vegetarians, another plus in our book.
The sushi and sashimi is fresh and flavorful, and we like the grilled scallops, the pork tenderloin tonkatsu, and the stir-fried veggies and tofu. Be sure to get a side of the mushrooms for that burst of umami flavor!
Japengo is open for dinner daily, and reservations are strongly recommended. Dress is resort casual.
6. Leilani’s on the Beach
Located on Kaanapali Beach in Whalers Village, Leilani’s on the Beach is a great place to watch the sun set over the water and enjoy the fabulous ocean views. Look for the offshore islands of Lanai and Molokai!
Belonging to the same family of restaurants as Duke’s and the Hula Grill, Leilani’s has a beach bar and a regular dining room that’s only open for dinner.
Leilani’s supports local farmers and fisherfolk, and you will see many local ingredients, like fresh caught fish and locally-farmed produce, in menu offerings.
Pick from an extensive drinks menu in the beach bar that includes wines, beers, and cocktails, along with small bites, salads, or sandwiches.
The dinner menu has options from the ocean and the land, as well as salads. For dessert, have a slice of hula pie or pono pie.
With kids’ menus, Leilani’s makes a great place for a family meal. The beach bar is an excellent gathering place if you are visiting as a group.
7. Joey’s Kitchen
Serving Filipino Asian cuisine with a Hawaiian twist, Joey’s Kitchen in Whalers Village is a must-try casual eatery in Kaanapali.
Here you will find Hawaiian plate lunches with such favorites as the loco moco, kalua pork and cabbage, teriyaki chicken, and garlic chicken. There are vegetarian options and kids’ meals as well.
With very reasonable prices, Joey’s makes for a great lunch option. It is very popular, so expect to find it crowded at meal times. You can do take out as well.
Joey’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
8. Maui Brewing Company
Located inside the Outrigger Kaanapali Beach Resort, Maui Brewing Company is of course most famous for its craft beer, but it’s worth visiting one of their restaurants for island-inspired food and a chill ambience.
Maui Brewing Company prides itself on its relationships with local producers and you’ll taste the fresh local ingredients in their menu offerings.
Relax in the open-air interior that features views of Kaanapali Beach as you enjoy your meal (and beer!).
The bar and lounge is open during the day, and a dinner menu is offered in the evenings. They have kids’ options as well.
We love all of the appetizers on the dinner menu, from the dynamite fries and fried brussel sprouts to the shoyu edamame and crispy calamari. The fish and chips is our favorite main dish and we like the veggie burger as well.
End on a slice of The Road to Hana banana bread, a treat on any occasion.
And the beer? Pick the flight, so you can try a few varieties!
10. Choice Health Bar
Craving something a little light and healthy in the morning? Head to Choice Health Bar for a breakfast that’s tasty and chock full of nutrition!
Choice Health Bar is located in Whalers Village and very convenient to access.
Offering plant-based options, Choice Health Bar showcases fresh local organic ingredients.
Try one of the acai bowls, sweetened with raw Big Island honey, or enjoy the bruschetta toast or avocado toast.
If not for anything else, be sure to stop by for their fresh cold-pressed juices or delicious smoothies! They are the perfect thirst-quenchers on a hot Hawaiian afternoon. There is a kid-sized shake as well.