The food was good but a little bit overpriced for the portion. The service was very bad if you are planning to eat with 2 people. The staff loves to favor the parties of 4 and more. The ambience was great with a good view and you can see crabs out the window. It is very windy if you sit next to the window but the breeze is nice. read more

Took a chance without a reservation. She said it would be a 40 min wait and tried convincing us along with everyone who didn't have a resy to eat across the street, but I said I would wait. We luckily got a 2 top table quickly. Ube bread is so good! Had the ceviche thing, coconut shrimp, and the ahi entree which was wonderful. Great views! I would go back for brunch to try it! read more

The food was amazing such as the Fish tacos they also had amazing views and service especially with our waitress China she alone made the experience a 5/5. read more

Spectacular spot in Lahaina right on the water with 180 degrees view, perfect for lunch, even better for sunset. Easily accessible location right behind Lahaina Cannery Mall. A great example of Hawaii Regional Cuisine with warm friendly service. 10/10 recommend. read more

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We came to Mala restaurant three times during our 7-day trip to Maui -- even had our last brunch here before heading to the airport. The view is absolutely stunning, and the food is delicious. read more

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Great spot on the water. Friendly staff and food is very good. Lots of choices and mai tais are very good.

We went for happy hour, sat on the back patio with the ocean and turtles! My wagyu burger was over cooked and the piece of fish on the sandwich was too small. The calamari was amazing and the dip that came with the coconut shrimp was delicious. Service was ok. read more

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Our server was Kat. Kat was horrible. Very obvious she knew it was a large party and was very unkind to multiple people in our party. Condescending attitude, very snarky remarks regarding the food ordered. Food was great views were great Kat was not. read more

I would come here solely for their amazing appetizers. The ube bread was to die for and the crispy Brussels were so flavorful. The entrees were under seasoned so just load up on the great apps. Service was not my favorite but the view was great. read more

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Man, this place was disappointing. We had a hard time getting into it but the entree flavors just weren't there for us. The apps were the true star of the show, but aside from that service and overall ambiance just missed for us. I do think it'd be great to grab quick apps, but that's if you can get in. Wish we had a better experience because the one bread and Brussels were worth a second visit but not worth the lack of service sadly. read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Ube bread - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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We had breakfast at Mala Ocean Tavern on New Year's Day. We arrived at 10 a.m. and managed to beat the morning rush, which was nice. The views were definitely the highlight--absolutely stunning. I had the seared ahi Benedict, but it tasted pretty bland. My family ordered the grilled mahi mahi Benedict, fish sandwich, and wagyu burger. Overall, nothing really stood out. The bacon in the burger was chewy instead of crispy, and the fish was just okay. They also ran out of watermelon juice, which was a bit disappointing. The atmosphere and views were great, but the food didn't quite live up to expectations. Hopefully, they can refine the menu because the location has so much potential. read more

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The Food is amazing. We have scallop and fish, very well done The Drink is average. The guy who served us has his personality, he was rushing. Overall, very nice place to have dinner read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Catch of the Day and Seared Scallops, very well done - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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Had a midday lunch on the Pacific Ocean, just north of Lahaina. Manager, Dahlia, and wait staffer China, are just lovely people. Each of them went out of the way to make us comfortable. We had fish and chips, mahi-mahi, simply outstanding. Location right on the Pacific is absolutely superb, with a cool breeze coming off the water. Simply, outstanding place, and wonderful service, means will come back next Saturday for their Saturday brunch. Five stars, plus! I have my sights on a return for their Saturday special brunch menu. Spectacular, oceanfront place, great food, and absolutely wonderful service. read more

Great place for dinner! Great view of the sunset Get a reservation ASAP. Every time we visit Lahaina we go for dinner there. read more

Amazing experience at Mala Ocean Tavern! Eduardo gave the best recommendations and Ellen's service was wonderful thank you for all the drink recommendations We loved the Caesar salad, flatbread, malasadas, chilaquiles, and especially the coconut shrimp! read more

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Already spun the block and had lunch before I left the island. Wagyu burger...**chefs kiss**. Thanks again to Kate for taking care of us on our birthday trip! read more

If you're in Maui, Mala Ocean Tavern is an absolute must-visit! We ordered the scallops, the shrimp pasta, and the mahi mahi -- and every single bite was to die for. The flavors were fresh, vibrant, and perfectly balanced. Skip places like Dukes, Hula grill, and Leilani's and give this gem a shot! It is still open after the fires so support them!! On top of the incredible food, the atmosphere is unbeatable and service was the best. Our server Jon made sure we had a great experience. You're literally right on the water, and we got to watch tons of sea turtles swimming and eating just a few feet away from us. It was such a magical experience -- delicious food, gorgeous views, and the chance to see turtles up close. Can't recommend this place enough -- it's truly a Maui gem! read more

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The best! Lovely store on the water with waves crashing in the background. The service was great! Tori was our server and she went above and beyond to get us some drinks for our honeymoon complimentary and walking us through the fried fish. If you're feeling adventurous do the whole fried fish! Perfect setting with the ocean and water in the background. read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Remnants of whole fried fish - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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Delicious food and even better service. Jennifer is an awesome waitress and made the whole experience great. After dealing with some of the worst people we have ever seen at our hotel it was honestly just nice to have some faith restored in humanity. read more

I have been eating at Mala on every Maui visit since 2011. It is not just a food destination it is an experience. Their manager and staff are always so pleasant. The view is spectacular and on some days you can see the turtles swimming. They have been serving brunch every day which on our recent visit we went multiple times. The breakfast and lunch are outstanding my favorite being the fish tacos or the Fresh Market Fish. read more

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The scenery is very pretty and right on the beach/ocean. I had the Tofu Stir Fry and it was very tasty! I also had the sorbet and it was very good. The service was also very pleasant. I wish they had more vegan options. (instagram: jax.vegan.eats) read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Tofu Stir Fry (instagram: jax.vegan.eats) - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Wow so good! The server China was so nice and helpful. The food was fresh and delicious. Perfect location by the ocean with a breeze and shade for brunch. read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Avocado toast w a side of bacon - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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Nice happy hour from 2 to 4 PM. We made reservations just to make sure it wouldn't be a problem getting in. My husband grabbed the Wagyu burger... Really tasty and came with fries as a bonus. I had the Caesar salad which was flavorful and crisp, but a bit overdressed for my liking. Two glasses of wine and good to go... Very nice view on the back patio. read more

Beautiful views, hard to get evening hours. We were seated by the ocean in the patio. Food was good. Nothing outstanding wrt to vegetarian options, but fish was very good. read more

I love this place! I went three times during my eight days in Maui! Happy Hour, dinner and for a group breakfast. Food was sensational as was the service! Server Jose was amazing how he took care of our family...particularly the older aunt who was a little (lot) high maintenance! She was charmed! Great views as this place is right on the water in Lahaina! It survived the big fire where several neighboring buildings burned. We will be back soon! read more

Mala never disappoints! The food, service and ambiance are always on point. My family and I had dinner here last night. Our server, Joe was knowledgeable and attentive. We started with the hummus dish, warm ube bread and Waipoli butter lettuce salad with green goddess dressing. Absolutely delicious!! For our main dishes, we ordered the Mahi Mahi, the pork chop and the pesto pasta. Everything was cooked to perfection and flavorful! read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Pork chop with polenta and greens - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

Been to Mala twice already! Food has been delicious - eggs benny both times for me the lamb and the ahi! Hubby had traditional egg breakfast and chilaquiles- best we've ever had! The service was top notch, attentive from all staff from the moment we arrived. My water glass was never empty and my other beverage needs always tended to. Our servers were Jose, and next Deserie, both absolutely excellent. And absolutely wonderful place, great location, and also wonderful to support Lahaina. Thank you, Mala. We'll be back again and again! read more

Simple Seaside bistro great service and really good food. Everything is open air so you can hear the ocean and feel the tradewinds. read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

We had a reservation from 2-4 happy hour, and had a nice window seat. We ordered several appitizers and drinks. While the food was wonderful, the diners policy of maximum was not so nice. We were asked to close out our check early, and reopened another tab. After 2 hours, we were asked to move out, and we're seated at the bar. After about another 30-40 minutes, we were asked to leave because the bar had given out seats to a bar reservation. So after spending nearly $400, we left with an unhappy feeling and not pleased with Mala's kick you out policy. read more

Get the seared ahi- ah-mazing! Kids portions were big and the drink list was fun and creative. A must if you go to Lahaina.

All of the dishes were well-prepared and flavorful. Service was smooth and the atmosphere was fun, and you can't beat the view of the water. We were lucky to have dinner during sunset and saw some honu swimming in the water. For appetizers, we ordered the ube hot bread and oyster shooters. Entrees included the Whole Fried Hawaiian Fish, Catch of the Day (shrimp) with veggies, Shrimp Papardelle Pasta with Pesto, Pan Fried Mahi Mahi with mashed potatoes and veggies, and a side of Parmesan Truffle Risotto. Beautiful view, fresh and tasty food, enjoyable atmosphere. We also very much appreciated that our server was very knowledgeable about which dishes contained certain allergens. 10/10 will go again. read more

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A discourse on the ahi bruschetta. tl;dr - While good, it's not the same as before. I first had this close to two decades ago, and it blew my mind. Like after my first bite, I remember thinking "#*!% this is AMAZING!!!". To this day, it's still easily in the top 10 of my favorite things I've ever eaten. It was an elegant perfect bite, with everything balanced in flavor, texture, and volume. You could taste every single component, both contrasting and complementing each other - the flaxseed toast with just the right amount of bite , the mildly seasoned edamame purée, the refreshingly juicy Hamakua tomato slice, the ahi slice(s) seared and lightly crusted with black pepper to give that extra nudge of flavor, the pinch of microgreens and scallions on top for a touch of vegetal crunch and freshness, all topped with a light drizzle of faintly fruity and acidic balsamic vinegar to brighten things up and bring everything together. With a recent trip to Maui I had to order this piece of culinary perfection again. Alas, it wasn't the same. While still quite good, it wasn't "OMG this is gooooood!". I see ownership changed in 2018, so I'm not sure if the chef changed and put their own twist on the dish, or if it's just a natural evolution of the dish. The current version is more bold and in your face. Not a bad thing, but just different. It's no longer 1-2 elegant bites, but 2-3 big messy tasty bites. The two generously thick pieces of ahi dominate things. Nobody can complain there isn't enough fish. The crust was rather heavy on the black pepper, at least on the ones we had. Nowhere near complaint-worthy, but just very pepper forward, which overpowered the other subtler components. The tomato slice was relatively thick, becoming the second most powerful item in the stack, with the juices further drowning out the flavors of the edamame and toast, which basically became solely textural/structural elements. The whole grain toast has a slightly softer airier texture and milder flavor, both of which don't hold up quite as well to everything else. The microgreens and scallions have been replaced with a tiny pinch of some kind of indiscernible (basil per the menu) chiffonade. The balsamic while there, was a lighter pour and wasn't as noticeable due to the pepper and tomato. read more

Simply amazing, however I look at it. The food was the best I have had in years. Light and tasty. Beautifully presented. The service was outstanding. The views were beyond compare. The modest exterior does not give you a hint at what awaits as you enter this eatery. Parking is a bit of a challenge. read more

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We had such a wonderful time here, my daughter and I came for breakfast a couple of weeks ago on 7/28/23. We sat inside, this has amazing views of the water, service was lovely, the manager came by to check on us a couple of times, food was delicious - we got the avocado toast and eggs Benedict. And coffee of course. It definitely hit the spot! I am writing this review today 8/10/23 after the wildfires raged through Lahaina and am so very heartbroken for the people there, the homes along Front St, the many stores we visited and spoke with the shop workers, we strolled the streets here so many times on our visit and am praying for a miracle for Lahaina and Maui. I would like to come back here and enjoy a cup of coffee again ‍ read more

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I've been to Maui 5 times, and each time I go this place is the highlight of the trip. The exceptional food and service is enough to keep me coming back, but the location is the best part. I absolutely adore this place and I'm thrilled they survived the fires. It's now the oldest building in Lahaina. Special shout out to Jose who was our server twice on our last trip. Absolutely loved getting to hang out with him when we visited this lovely restaurant read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Fish tacos - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

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Service, food and ambience top notch! Fish sandwich (Mahi mahi) was juicy and tender.

This is the best restaurant on Maui. Hands down I don't even think there's a close second. Everything they do is done right. I forgot our servers name but he was one of the best in the business. If you didn't know before now you do Mala is a must try. From the presentation to the flavor to the view this place checks all the boxes. read more

Mala Ocean Tavern - Whole fried fish - Seafood Near Me - Lahaina, Hawaii

We first visited Mala Ocean Tavern immediately after the fire. Not many people knew it was still open, so it was not crowded. Times have changed and now Mala is overly subscribed, now highlighting just how small and cramped this place is. The tables are small and packed into the tight confines. You can't help but feel like a sardine. Unfortunately, the food didn't justify the cramped experience. The Ahi Tuna was overcooked and covered in mushrooms and sauce. The preparation did not celebrate the Ahi at all. Parking is also sparse. You will most likely need to park down the street at the crowded Safeway parking lot and walk to the restaurant. We also did not appreciate the fact that we waited 45 minutes beyond our reservation time to be seated. We were told our name had been called (it hadn't, we had checked in with the hostess and had been standing right next to the hostess podium the whole time), but four people had taken our table. Not a good experience and not recommended. read more

Service was good. I had the pan fried Mahi Mahi. It had so much Ginger that I could only eat the fish and had to skip the rest of the meal. The dish called for ginger, but all of the other flavors were lost based on the overwhelming amount of ginger. I was afraid to mention it. It was disappointing given it was our anniversary. Stay away from this dish. read more

We chose Mala to celebrate our 10th anniversary during our recent trip to Maui. We received a recommendation from family who dined there on their honeymoon 15 years ago. They warmly welcomed us with bubbles to help us celebrate, and the ambiance and views were incredible. We were even able to watch turtles feeding in the bay just outside the restaurant from our table. The food was a standout, with everything seasoned to perfection. It was one of the best meals we had on the island, and we would absolutely return. Please support this awesome business on your visit to Maui and help them thrive. They're a definite gem in my opinion. I also hear they have a great brunch, which we unfortunately missed, but will make a priority on our next visit. read more