Mala Ocean TavernBest ocean front dining on Maui!!My daughter wanted to go to Wailea for a ridiculous priced brunch. I have always loved Mala and decided to cancel our reservation in Wailea and reserve at Mala. I asked for an ocean side table and we had the best table in the house. Turtles were going off as usual and the staff, food, everything was wonderful. A must is the brussel sprout dish!!5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Experience!We ate everywhere from Plantation House to Maui Tacos. Mala Ocean Tavern was by far the most memorable/enjoyable place I ate at. The owner and the staff was extremely attentive and the food was outstanding! Will definitely go back every time I'm in Maui.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMSunset on MauiCasual, busy, but oh, I had one of the best fish dishes of my life: the wok fried fish, which the surround with a combination of things like purple potatoes, peas, onion, a whole lot of things, all almost mushed together and wow, does that work! Everything was delicious. Not fine dining, just good food.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMSat right on the window overlookingSat right on the window overlooking the rocks and ocean's edge, so does not get much better than that. My fish was not as good as it could have been, but the other 3 people in my party enjoyed their food quite a bit. Very noisy and busy, so if that is a problem, I might look elsewhere?5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMBest meals in Maui. Unique recipesWe finally found excellent food on Maui. Gourmand's delight without being over-priced. Dinner entrees $30 - $45 range. A chef is in the kitchen, not a cook. At dinner loved their fish ala plancha and fried chicken (unlike any you have ever had). Both inspired dishes artfully arranged and colorful. I had a blackened mahi mahi (wild and freshly caught) sandwich for lunch with the best french fries ever. Their flourless chocolate souffle dessert is to die for.
Sitting on the small deck at sunset was the best. When the sun sets they open the roof and light torches. Very romantic. Some two top tables are crowded together so we recommend making a 5:30 pm reservation to get a waterside table.
Skip its sister restaurant next door.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMCelebrating my husband's birthdayOn a recent trip to Maui we celebrated my husband's birthday at Mala. We had eaten there once before and loved the food. I called well ahead for a reservation (before we left the mainland) and was glad I did. We had a lovely dinner. The ceviche was fabulous. Our only complaint is the close quarters and the noise level. The wait staff does a terrific job navigating through the tables and the service was excellant. We had a nice chat with our neighboring tablemates. Not a place to go for a quiet, romantic dining experience, but the quality of the food and the view make it totally worthwhile.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food, great location!I went to Mala at the recommendation of a friend the last day I was in Maui. The food was delicious and the view was wonderful. My only complaint is that I didn't go until my last day. I will definitely go back on my next trip!5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat seafood dishes and excellentGreat seafood dishes and excellent service with a beautiful ocean view!5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMSeaside Special SpotMala is a delightful little gem, completely unpretentious seaside " shack" and I mean that in the best way. Sitting right on the beach with water lapping against the side the ambiance is beach side best and is a terrific sundown spot. The house made specialty cocktails are quite tasty and the wine list superb. Terrific fresh fish and mediterranean favorites prepared with a deft hand. The whole wok fried fish was a a complete dinner for two with a spectacular presentation. This is a very special, must go to kind of place but do make reservations- its small.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWanna Go BackOutstanding in every way! The view, the sunset, the wine, and the food all top notch!!!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMA new place for us to addA new place for us to add to our favorites on Maui! Try the pineapple martini! Everything was fresh and flavorful. Very small, but feels intimate rather than crowded. A must try!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Meal of our Maui vacationThis spot is the quintessential Maui restaurant destination. Relaxed, romantic atmosphere with a friendly staff. They also offer some of the best seafood...which makes sense because they are right on the water at the north end of Front St. away from all the hustle and bustle of downtown Lahaina. Did I forget to mention the best Mai Tai on the island?!?!4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMVery pricey for what theyVery pricey for what they offered my wife's fish was quite dry and pensive4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMSome of the best food on theSome of the best food on the island. Fantastic service. Make reservations4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMA long journey justifiedMy wife and l are from New Zealand. Dining at Mala was one of the highlights of our two week break. The food choice was wide. The service was very good and the position of the restaurant is well position on the edge of the Pacific.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing! I've gone out forAmazing! I've gone out for dinner a few nights during my stay here and this is by far the best restaurant yet. The ambiance, food, and views were phenomenal.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMAtmosphere and being righAtmosphere and being righ the ocean is a real plus. This was our 4th visit to MaLa over the past several years. The food overall is too heavy for me. The chef tries to do too many things with the food and it comes across as complicated and too heavy for my taste. I am not sure we will be returning next year.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMFood and Service were fantastic.Food and Service were fantastic. Went to Mala on the recommendation of a friend and was not disappointed at all. A little pricey but well worth it!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMHighlight of our vacationArrived early for our reservation and had cocktails in bar. The bartenders, Mike and Lisa, made great cockails as well as providing excellent service. We were seated outside on patio with beautiful view of ocean. Enjoyed Greek salad and spicy lamb pita for starters. Thought the bread (whole grain wheat possibly) over powered the taste of the ahi on the seared ahi bruschetta. Entrees included sauteed fresh mahi mahi and asian fried chicken and were great. Desert special was bread pudding and should be added to the menu. Will definitely return.4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat little spot right onGreat little spot right on the water. You literally "sit on the rocks" - it's that close. Tiny place so reservations a must- ask for table outside. Great service- energetic bar area. Hamburgers to die for! Salads also very good. Has an eclectic menu with all price ranges. Not really kid friendly. Would recommend.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved it. We are frequentWe loved it. We are frequent visitors to Maui and come to Mala every time. I am a vegetarian and love the veggie options.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMI have been going to MalaI have been going to Mala since it opened, and always have a good experience. They have added Honu next door, which made it easy to have a drink when the bar was full at Mala. They even brought our drink over to Mala when the table was ready.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMStaff and food were great!Staff and food were great! Can't beat the oceanside location. Will return next year.4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were very excited to tryWe were very excited to try Mala Ocean Tavern. The sunset view and service certainly were top notch. The food was good, but we found it overcomplicated. The flavors and ingredients seemed sloppy and became blurred. The whole fish in particular had too many ingredients. The quality was there, we just wish they were simpler so that the ingredients could be identified! The ahi bruschetta and brussel sprouts which everyone raved about were just okay in our opinion. Again, simpler would have impressed us more. Our server was fantastic and after a bit of sweating, the sunset was awesome and we cooled off. We recommend the restaurant but real foodies like us found it a few too many ingredients away from being great!4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMWe return to Mala every yearWe return to Mala every year when we visit Maui. Our favorite is the whole wok fried fish. This time people at neighboring tables were even asking to take a picture of the dish when it was delivered to our table!4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful evening at MalaWe dined here our last night in Maui, and it was definitely one of the better experiences we had. We were lucky enough to have a table outside closest to the ocean. We even saw a sea turtle while dining! The food was delicious. We had the ahi bruschetta appetizer--delicious! All of us had seafood for our entrées, and we all enjoyed them. All in all, a great dining experience.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMMaui restaurant - Fun timeWe enjoyed the view and the food. Would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone considering it.4/10/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food choices. ModeratelyExcellent food choices. Moderately high priced for Maui.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was absolutely delicious.The food was absolutely delicious. The service was outstanding. I would recommend this restaurant to people. Especially tourist, great ocean view4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMOur third time there and itOur third time there and it was even better than we remembered! Great location, even better food, great service. It's not very big so some may find it a little cramped but we love the vibe!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant sits rightThis restaurant sits right on the water so a seat out on the lanai is preferable for the full experience. The food was very good and the service was excellent.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAsk for a table near the waterWould have been 5 stars if we could have gotten a table on the deck near the ocean!4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful views and lots ofBeautiful views and lots of turtles eating on the shore.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMGorgeous! Awesome food & veryGorgeous! Awesome food & very friendly staff. Will definety return when we come back to Maui.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMI've always enjoyed the foodI've always enjoyed the food at Mala, but the ambiance is lacking. Seating is tight and anything but private or quiet. We had 8 p.m. reservations and still the placed was packed and noisy. If I come back I will probably just sit at the bar.3/25/2013 12:00:00 AMBeen there three times OnceBeen there three times
Once good other two times Great!!!3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMA Maui must.Not much from outside, and simply appointed within, but food, service, wine and scenery are first rate. Staff is friendly and professional. Portions are enough for two. Bring all of your money, but worth it. A Maui must.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMMust stop, Lahiana, MauiOur favorite Lahaina eatery...consistently great food, thoughtful, conscientious, and great atmosphere and service.. Highly recommended!!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMAhi delight!The ahi bruschetta made me start thinking about when I can make another trip back to Maui and it can't be soon enough!3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent! We love the locationExcellent! We love the location and that it has a quaint feeling. Our waiter was not familiar with gluten free options but we were able to make our own adjustments and have a wonderful meal.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMUnsurpassed sunset views withUnsurpassed sunset views with Lanai in the background and excellent food. However, the prices are among the highest you would pay for this experience.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall food was good butOverall food was good but i ordered hoisin ribs and i was disappointed as they were overcooked and the dish was too rich and heavy. I would not order them again. My wife had mahi and enjoyed it. The ahi appetizer was pleasant and the maitai was great. Tables were cramped but we had a nice conversation with a couple from Chicago3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMIt is all about the food,It is all about the food, it was superb. When we arrived we were placed right beside check-in, we didn't want to sit there so said we would wait at bar until a table with a view opened up. It took about 30 minutes, but we got a table with a view, not right on the window but next to it which was fine. Great food!3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was our first trip toThis was our first trip to Mala Ocean Tavern. My folks had been there before, and told us we shouldn't miss it. They were so RIGHT!! The view from the patio area is exquisite- it's at the north end of Lahaina-town, on the waterfront. It would probably do okay with mediocre food because of the view, but luckily for us, the food is outstanding! The burrata dish should be mandatory eating; it's lovely. Loved the beet and goat cheese salad. The cocktails were tasty too. This has become our newest "Must Visit" location when we visit Maui.2/21/2013 12:00:00 AMExtremely expensive for whatExtremely expensive for what you get, but what you get is excellent. The wine list is over the top price wise. It has a good selection of wines, but they are 3 to 4 times retail. It is also very noisy if you sit inside, waiting for a table on the patio is well worth it, if you want to have the ability to hold a conversation without having to yell across the table. My recommendation is that the place is worth trying for the food once, there are just as good places to eat at half the cost. The unique dish is the whole fish for two, that is worth the price and though listed for two, can easily feed three.11/29/2012 12:00:00 AM