Da Tambayan Corner in Kahului has become one of my go-to spots when I'm not sure what I'm…read morecraving--because they've got a little bit of everything. The food truck lot has grown a lot recently, expanding into the adjacent lot with more space for trucks and more better parking (huge win). They have a cute little setup with a covered area for eating, plenty of tables, and even events happening from time to time. I think you can rent the space out too if you're planning your own event. Some of my favorite trucks here are Da Soriano Grindz for their calamansi pork belly plate (seriously hits every time), Aloha Pho Maui when I'm in the mood for Vietnamese, and Street Market Boba--because no visit is complete without a dessert and a good boba fix. I love that you can come with friends or family, and everyone can find something totally different to enjoy. From Filipino to Vietnamese to Mexican and more, the variety makes it an easy pick. Whether you're just grabbing lunch or hanging out for a bit, Da Tambayan is definitely worth checking out.

This is a cute little food truck court right in downtown Kahului, close to the library and the bus…read morehub. I had a little time for a quick snack so grabbed a taco from Linda's taco truck and it was very satisfying. The place was decked out for Halloween. I like that there's a large seating area with clean picnic tables under a shade cloth. Lots of parking, so no reason not to stop in here. There's a good variety of food trucks to please every appetite.

The event ranges from wine tastings, cooking demos and dinners by guest chefs over a 5-day span…read more This review is for the finale, which is the Seafood Festival. The event was held on the Ritz Carlton Kapalua's Beach House Lawn, an intimate and gorgeous oceanfront parcel with a grass lawn, bar & restrooms. The food booths surround the main tent which houses the wine vendors. There are a few high-tops to rest your drinks & plates on, and a few tables with chairs. This is a very "mingle-y" event, so you're not prone to plopping down and claiming stake at a table. The entertainment stage is near the entrance with a small area for standing & dancing. There are tons of wines to sample, as well as Absolut & Bombay Sapphire mixed drink stations, and Maui Brewing Company beer for people like me who just go for the beer & the food. Not a fan of wine. The 2012 event featured 14 different restaurants mainly from the west side of Maui. There were shrimp-a-plentiful, as well as fish prepared in a variety of ways, eel, clams & lobster dishes. There's also a dessert booth & coffee station. Overall: A great way to taste different wines, sample foods from a few of Maui's restaurants, and enjoy good entertainment, but leave the kids at home (even though they are welcome.)

My first time to the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival. It was an incredible journey of epicurean…read moreexcellence!! This is a 5 day event, which includes different activities. We attended the Seafood Festival, held on the oceanfront Beach House Lawn at the Ritz Carlton. The grand finale features Maui's top chefs. There were winemakers showcasing their wines, as well as beer and spirits. Fourteen of Maui's top restaurants were there and I tried everything (some twice!): Capische? Fleetwood's On Front Street Gannon's Honu/Mala Hula Grill I'o & Pacific'o Japengo Kahana Grill Kai Sushi Bar Makena Resort Restaurants Maui Culinary Academy Roy's Restaurant Star Noodle The Terrace Chef-Crafted Especially loved Kahana Grill and Fleetwood's On Front Street dishes. Star Noodle was a huge hit, there was a super long line for just noodles, but they were awesome! Come prepared to be on your feet. There are a few standing tables sprinkled about the place, and a handful of sit down tables. While you are not really supposed to camp out, and should be walking around drinking, eating and mingling, all the tables were snapped up and occupied for the entire evening. I was fine with that, I had wines and food to try and didn't want to miss anything! Another thing to be aware of is that they will shuttle you from the lobby of the hotel down to "near" the Beach House Lawn. From that point on, its a walk down the golf cart path. They did have a couple of golf carts that carted people to the line that was formed at the entrance of the tents. Afterwards, same thing . . its quite a hike (and challenge, especially after a few bottles of wine) to get to the shuttle point, so be sure to wear proper footwear! Fun event, planning to go next year!

Super solid luau at the Ritz Carlton!…read more Staying near Kapalua on our latest visit - I decided to surprise wifey with one of the newer luaus on the island, the Tales of the Kapa Moe! Had to make my reservations a few weeks in advance since the luau is only on Tuesdays and Fridays! Some limited, ah?! Taking place at the Ritz newly renovated Aloha Garden Pavilion, such a sight when you walk in! Welcomed by staff and given a fresh flower lei and a stiff cocktail (or TWO) right away! Now that's what I call the Aloha Spirit...quite literally LOL! -Blue Hawaiian -Kapalua Mai Tai (fave of the night, strong & vibrant!) Before going to your assigned seating in the covered pavilion, you can partake in the Hawaiian cultural activities in the lanai, and get your pictures taken underneath the beautiful garden backdrop! Then when you're ready you get escorted to your table for the luau pre-show! I gotta say - the highlight of the night is the luau dinner, pretty swanky! Before they call you up to the buffet line by table, they bring out the whole roasted pig for showing off as it heads to the display line for service! I noticed though that the pig is not made in an underground imu as is the traditional Hawaiian method - it is cooked in a Caja China, which can also produce succulent meat! The buffet is stacked well, and you can go back as your heart desires! So much to eat: Salads -Hawaiian Chopped Salad -Caesar Salad -Kula Beets with Arugula (for you vegans) -Soba Noodle Salad Entrees -Whole Roasted Pig -Macadamia Nut Crusted Fresh Fish Catch -Westside Huli Huli Chicken -North Shore Oahu Garlic Shrimp Sides -Wok Fired Island Vegetables -Local Molokai Sweet Potatoes -Ginger & Soy Steamed Bok Choy -Garlic Mushroom Fried Rice There's even a Build your own Poke Station with ahi and kimchi tako poke and tons of condiments! AND even a Keiki Menu that includes Fried Chicken Tenders and Mac & Cheese! I know this isn't what folks in ancient Hawaiian times ate, but cheee hooo the food overall is ONO! The Kula Beets with Arugula and Soba Noodle salads were faves! Some crazy flavor combos going there and good starters! Cannot go wrong with a poke bowl with your own fixings as an appetizer as well! The Whole Roasted Pig was nice & moist (especially the belly sections), delicious when served with the mu shu buns, poi, pickled vegetables, and hoisin chili sauce. Like basically an Asian taco! The Macadamia Nut Crusted Fresh Fish was delectable too, delicate fish with their mild Thai coconut curry sauce was very good! The North Shore Oahu Garlic Shrimp was liked as well, so much garlic and lemon butter! And what goes well with protein? Why, a heaping serving of Garlic Mushroom Fried Rice of course! More of a modern meal take on the Hawaiian luau, but I ain't mad! I made sure to eat enough for my ancestors HA! After the buffet dinner, relax, digest and get ready for the show. The Tales of the Kapa Moe! Great local host, makes you get interactive too, work off some of that luau food! The show is a lively depiction of a day in the life of the Hawaiian ancestors, showcasing the different tasks of everyone in the village. Many tales to enlighten your senses: *Koʻi Honua - A story of the creation of the islands *Pele - Goddess of the volcano and its molten lava *Kanehekili - God of thunder bringing forth rain to start growth *Laka - Goddess of the forest and all earthly vegetation *Ka I ka hoe - Audience participation chant lesson *Huakaʻi Hele - Migration of our ancestors from the south pacific *Ka wailele o Honokohau - Acrobat in the form of a waterfall *Ae Kakou - Men dance expressing their love for fish and poi *Lānaʻi - The beauty of Lānaʻi displayed as our women dance in a cloud *Moea awakens - Fire finale representing that the fire of our people its heritage will continue to live and burn strong And while you're enjoying the history, don't forget to grab some desserts: -Mochi Tart (must try!) -Mango Pudding -Mango Cheesecake -Kapalua Bar -Macadamia Chocolate Crunch Cake What an experience of a luau, very nuanced! Especially the fire show at the end, super LIT is an understatement! My only note is that this luau is a bit pricey for the 3 hour dinner & show - about $260 per person for Ohana Seating, and about $316 per person for the Ali'i Premium Seating (right near the front row). But if you're a kama'aina don't despair - let them know and you can get 20% off with valid Hawaii ID! Awesome time for wifey & I at the Tales of the Kapa Moe Luau Show! This was us early celebrating our 15th anniversary! Can't go wrong with this luau at the Ritz! AWWWRIGHT!!

Food and service were great, however, the entertainment for the money was not, and in our opinion…read moreit was overpriced. We are a family of 6 (2 adults and 4 middle/high school aged kids) and the total for our family was $1500. (VIP seating would have been more!) For that money the food AND the show should be amazing and we walked away feeling it was not worth the money. At least hold it outside in a more authentic setting and not in an open air pavilion where it's hard to see the stage and what is happening. The professional photographer with complementary family photos was a nice touch.

If you missed it ....you missed it! Be sure to mark your calendar for next year. So much fun so…read moremany crafters to visit. And if that isn't enough fantastic entertainment and giveaways. Get there early for the best selections. See you next year!

This year I finally made it to the Made In Maui County Festival. I went with my cousin and we had…read moreso much fun. We already had our eyes on certain vendors so we could not wait. LOCATION: Located at the MACC. We wanted to get there super early on Saturday to park there but we didn't so we parked at War Memorial Stadium and caught one of the free shuttles. We were prepared to buy tickets at the box office but we didn't have to because a nice lady on the shuttle gave us a bunch of free tickets. That was so nice of her. After shopping we were going to eat food from the Food Trucks there but because it was super hot that day, we decided to go somewhere else for lunch. Maybe next year. HIGHLIGHTS: Maui Mules with Pau Vodka, sampling various local treats, Na Koa Brand/Ho'omana Poly Apparel, Moloka'i Bread, Rosebuds , HI Spice Hot Sauce, Maui Olive Company, Bella Vita Apothecary, Maui Lavender & Tea, Upcountry Maui Favorites and Skelefin Studios (Amanda Joy Bowers). There were so many great vendors TIPS: Bring a fan and a big bag/bags for your purchases. Wear a hat too and bring a beverage like we did. OVERALL: So much fun. Got a lot of Christmas shopping done as well as shopping for myself of course. I plan on going every year from now on. Check it out!

Happened to be in the area on the third Friday of the month while hungry & thinking about what we…read moreshould do for dinner that evening. Not one to turn down the chance to try something new, we headed to Makawao town to check out their town party. The main event happens on Baldwin Avenue where they close off a portion of the street from Komoda Bakery down the whole block. I was delighted to see a bunch of people line dancing, totally reminding me of my years living in Colorado. Where my country music loving people at?! Those were the days. Anywho, I was on a mission to find something to eat, so we didn't really peruse any of the stores, craft, art, clothing vendors etc., but they're there for those that are interested. Food. I just wanted food and that they had, but nothing that really tickled my fancy. If anything, I would've wanted to try Pele's Pizza, but my husband can't eat pizza anymore so I wasn't about to torture him, lol. I think another Friday town party features much much better food and A LOT more choices, but overall it's a-ok. I tried a food truck that I haven't tried previously and we were able to find some seats at the little table area they have set-up rather quickly. On a side note, I saw people walking around with beers so they must sell alcohol somewhere? Not sure where though. I also saw people with ice cream cones and have no clue where they got those either! One thing that did stand out to me at this town party though, which would make it worthy of a return visit, was the entertainment. They had fire dancers in the streets, line dancing, & live bands. Didn't get the name of the band we saw, but they were really good! Parking is a bit harder to find here compared to other town parties, but if you're lucky, you can find a spot in the public parking lot just down the block. Otherwise, I saw some places charging $5 for event parking.

Made the trek up the hill to check it out, only because they recently started to close off a…read moreportion of Baldwin Ave (from Makawao Ave to just past Makawao Steakhouse which is Brewer Rd) to vehicular traffic. I've driven down this road many times but never walked on it and never at night. The atmosphere is very charming. I love the architecture of the buildings and how they light up at night with their quaintness. It reminds me of Main Street USA in Disneyland. FOOD: Not the greatest in terms of quantity. There were 2 food trucks - Kinaole Grill, and Iron Imu BBQ, and a few booths like Badua's crepes, Wow Wow Waffles, Monsoon (Indian), and Al's BBQ Pit. The majority of the vendors can be found at the other Friday events. I was full off of our food from Polli's so I didn't purchase anything on the street. VENDORS: There were a few people selling jewelry and trinkets and majority of the shops were open. ENTERTAINMENT: The band changes monthly - one main stage in middle of the event. BEER GARDEN: Non-existent unfortunately. There is a nice and protected gravel lot that'd be perfect for one! OVERALL: I haven't been to Second Friday Lahaina yet but Third Friday Makawao is definitely in third place behind First Friday Wailuku and Fourth Friday Kihei (confused yet?) in terms of the fun-factor. This place has so much potential and has too many empty spaces. Add a beer garden and more food booths and we'll be long-time friends!

Hmmmmmm how to rate.... Well, afterward, my husband and I said it was "mid." So I think 3 stars is…read morefair. Our only other experience with a luau was the Old Lahaina Luau, approx 10 years ago on our honeymoon, so I am using that for comparison. At that time, everyone told us the OLL was the best in Maui. In comparison, the Maui Nui Luau doesn't quite hold up. First impressions are everything, and the plastic tables and chairs don't give off an upscale "you're in for a treat" vibe. The buffet food was completely decent. I enjoyed everything on my plate. It wasn't spectacular, but I thought it was good. If you have picky children, they might not want anything other than bread rolls and dessert. It's nice having an open bar, but if you're not a drinker, it might be hard to get your money's worth at any luau. Entertainment was cool--before the dancing starts, there's a few activities mainly geared towards kids (temp tattoos, stamped bookmarks, etc) as well as some vendors set up on the sides. During the show, the MC was good without being over the top. The fire dancers were obviously the best. Being able to see fire dancers was the only reason we chose not to go to OLL again, because I thought our son would enjoy this part the best. All-in-all, if you have a picky eater, non-drinkers, or aren't quite sure if you'd get the value of a luau, you could skip this one (and probably skip any other one, too). They're extremely expensive. It was not worth the nearly $600 price tag.

While still on my Hawaii Maui vacation, I had to take the time to write this 5 star review…read more Luau - Let's start with what it means and is. A luau is a Hawaiian tradition, where people gather to celebrate and eat with entertainment. This also means in our own understanding like a "wedding", "baby shower", and/or "birthday". Having been to a dozen of luau's, I feel a compelling need to review from a perspective of one who appreciates the arts and culture. Let's start off with price - This is by far a VERY affordable luau. You're not just paying for a Buffett but the entertainment is included. They literally entertain you for 3 full hours. If you're bougie and hate waiting don't be a cheapskate and pay extra to be preferred. If you can't afford to pay extra for preferred then get there early, be the first in line to get seated at the tables behind the preferred seating. Is there a wait, yes, if you're not preferred you wait. That is typically how preferred and VIP works. I paid for the preferred because I don't like to wait and yes, I like to be front and center and I like the perks of being "first" so I paid for the extra service, well worth every extra penny. Staff: 5 stars EVERYONE was extremely nice! IFKYK: If I had read the reviews first I might not have paid to come to the show, these reviews are a mix of good/bad but more bad than good and I'll have to admit Yelpies on this one got it WRONG! Let's just say, more people are inclined to write a negative review before a positive review. It's almost as if the "negative crew" left their sentiments. But honestly it's fairly priced, weather is the weather, it's Hawaii, plan to be hot, in rain, they perform rain or shine. Is it crowded, YES, it's just not going to be just you and your 3 kids and wife. Think of church, if you go, a big ole crowded church! Are there long lines? Yes, but they go extremely fast. Can you experience a bigger show elsewhere? Absolutely you can, if you're going to Oahu and can visit the cultural center, then do that experience or even on the Big Island but for Maui, this is a fantastic experience! Let's get into it! It's a Buffet and given its Hawaiian theme this foodie gives it a solid 10! Food was full of flavor, a little cold but we had windy rainy weather which is no fault to them. Overall, a Maui vacation is going to cost 10k easy (that's cheap)! Add 2-3k for entertainment while you're here and enjoy this beautiful experience! Kudos to the entertainment crew, grateful to see how much love, passion and heart put into this show. Mahalo nui loa for continuing to share the legacy of beautiful Hawaii!

Not much to see at this spot. Mostly craft goods and two food trucks. In a fenced area with picnic…read moretable and bench. Street or public parking near by.

Makawao Marketplace is such a special little spot! It's tucked right in the heart of Makawao town…read moreand has this cozy, local feel that makes you want to stay awhile. You can grab incredible Thai food, Polynesian plates, a hot dog piled high with toppings, or treat yourself to New Zealand-style real-fruit ice cream from the cutest pink trailer. It's the perfect stop whether you're wandering upcountry for the day or a local looking for an easy lunch and a laid-back hangout. Everyone is so friendly, the food is amazing, and the vibe is pure Maui... relaxed, welcoming, and full of heart.

Charming ! Small biz ! Woman owned ! Minority business !! A goat named Baba after Ali Baba !!…read more Tasty veggies & fruits !! Healthy food to hang out all day & nite at the beach !! What's not to like !! I I should up this to 5 * but its not as modern as I would expect & I feel others would ding it also for the primitive vibe. If you've been to Thailand, you will get it. Some might not buy anything cuz it's all outdoors & very unlike a whole foods.... There's a purple food truck at the entrance. A friendly & tame brown goat follows you around. There are the typical shrines with elephants & a lot of plots, dirt mounds, piles of vegetation. You put your hillocks of picks into a basket. The owner calculates everything by hand. No credit card machine but we joked that she should take bitcoin. What'd I buy?...A bit of everything like carrots, japanese white yams, golden potatoes, tomatoes, mini bananas, scallions, lilikoi, oranges, iimes, lemons, and flowers for the suite. We talked to all the other locals that bought lots of other items like the pineapples, greens, jalapenos, broccoli etc. They all lived close by while we came from Lahaina, about an hour away for this adventure of a farmers market. A nice drive of Maui Hawaaian splendor was well worth it to procure all these earthly bounties! I cooked the sweet carrots & potatoes, washed the tomatoes & fruit to be ready for endless beach day (s)!! Everything was fresh, tasty & delicious. That's the best if you can get a panopoly of fresh tasty local fare. Scooping out the seeds of lilikoi right now.... Simple yum.

This is a great place to buy fresh produce if you're Upcountry. They're open until 5 p.m. on…read moreSaturdays and Sundays and have a wide assortment of locally grown fruits and vegetables, including potatoes, onions, kabocha, etc. Over the years, Nui has gradually improved the property with walking paths and gardens, making it a nice place to stop and relax for locals and visitors. The food truck in the front of the property is also operated by Nui and serves delicious Thai food.