Down the Hatch Maui — Restaurant in Maui

*Given non-monetary compensation for a unbiased and honest review.

Experiencing the culture of a city we visit is how we vacation well. Down the Hatch is not a tourist spot. A tourist spot is curated to give a small taste of local culture and cuisine and keep guests at arms length. Down the Hatch is a locals spot that welcomes tourists. It is the locals night life destination, celebration destination, favorite date night place with a Saturday Dj, a family dinner destination, a live music venue with a Tuesday night guitarist, a Sunday Trivia night destination, a girls night out spot, and a Monday night Live Band Karaoke spot.

Full of genuinely happy employees with more aloha spirit than any tourist place because it’s a locals spot that houses the extension of “ohana” (family).

When my party of 6 adults walked over to the restaurant the line was around the corner. That was the first indicator that the recommendation from a local restaurant manager was a place he loved and apparently everyone else on the island did too. Don’t let the line intimidate you, especially on Sunday night when many other restaurants aren’t open or have closed early. The line moves quickly and gives you a few minutes to study the menu and get an idea of what you want to order, or get to know your neighbor in line.

Down the Hatch has an extensive menu that highlights many locally sourced ingredients and local chef talent that delivers structured dishes that shine.

Ordering at the counter is typical in Maui but what’s not typical is moving to the bar to order your drink with deep and well stocked shelves and bar tenders like Matt who can make a drink, tell a story, do a magic trick and have the locals laughing and smiling.

We ordered a few of the house favorites the Maui Sour, Spicy watermelon margarita and the lava flow. Maui sour, a bourbon cocktail with a tropical twist, puts local flavors forward with lilikoi (passion fruit) pineapple and dragon fruit, making a balanced tropical experience. I would definitely order the Maui Sour again. The Spicy Watermelon margarita had some heat from the jalapeño honey but it wasn’t as sweet as I expected. I don’t think I would order another one now that I’ve had it. It’s novel and interesting but would not be a go to cocktail for me. The Lava Flow was creamy and delicious with rum and coconut and pineapple and strawberry purée. It was a beautiful drink that looked like lava flowing and was reordered more than once.

My group thought the flavor profile of the dishes we ordered were true to the Hawaiian islands. Fresh produce, fish and seafood made the Ahi tuna, mahi fish and shrimp tacos. They had just enough acidity and sweetness to balance the fish and shrimp. Three of the six adults in our party said this was their favorite dish. I personally loved the mermaid fries. They were interesting and packed with flavor. They reminded me of some true island flair. The Lobster and Crabbed stuffed Grilled Cheese was really big. It was really rich so be prepared to be very full. If you are looking for something light this grilled cheese isn’t light, but very flavorful. The scratch burger was a basic burger if you have a no frills type of friend dining with you. It can be dressed up or dressed down.

We really enjoyed our time amongst the locals and the friendly employees. This is definitely a place we will never forget and be sure to return to on...

Our favorite restaurant in Maui from our seven day trip. Really nice outdoor dining scene with great Hawaiian classics. We even got to sit next to a koi pond. This restaurant was featured in Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and later at night we got back and it was fun to go back and watch the episode (season 26, episode 15). I wish we watched it before we went, as the Lobster and Crab stuffed grilled cheese featured on the show looked so so good, but we did not know to order it. But the dishes we did order were also excellent.

The Day's Special, Ahi and Avocado poke (4.5 out of 5): A shoyu-based poke. It was a bit on the salty side but the fresh fish and fresh creamy avocado paired very well, and it was served on a bed of rice in a cute martini glass shaped dish. Macadamia crusted Mahi Mahi (4 out of 5): The fried fish was really good, but what it was missing was some sort of sauce. What would have really enhanced this dish is if it were topped with something special, perhaps a pineapple mango salsa or some sort to give it a bit of contrast and tang.

Sampler platter (5 out of 5): The Lava Lava shrimp, similar to a popcorn shrimp, was fried to a crispy perfection. I don't normally eat shrimp but even I enjoyed this one! Next, the Kalua Pig quesadilla... WOW. The juicy pig combined with cheese and tortilla, and melted and grilled all together, was a joy. To be fair, I've enjoyed every kalua pig I've had on this island, but still, this dish was great. The last item in the sampler platter was crispy calamari. Again, I normally don't order or eat calamari, but as far as calamari goes, this was really good. It was really soft and tender, not rubbery like I always fear. It reminded me of a mozzarrella stick, given how soft the calamari was. I was impressed that even a seafood I don't normally enjoy was made so that I thought it was good.

Toward the end of our dinner it approached 8:30 pm and trivia started, which was a load of fun. We only had time to stay for one round, but it was a great lively and outdoor breezy atmosphere to stay and...

Another one of my Maui local favorites! Down the Hatch is located in the center of Lahaina, a fun and lively area to enjoy at any time of the day. The often have live music throughout the day that simply adds to this fun outdoor atmosphere. My husband and I dined here twice in the matter of three days it was that good. Down the Hatch does not take reservations, this is the type of restaurant that you wait in line to place your order, you find a seat and your order is delivered to your table. Both times that we went the line was not obnoxiously long, but if it is, I promise the food and vibe of this dining establishment are worth the wait. You are able to view the menu as you wait in line using QR codes that are posted. The wait for food was not long at all especially considering the number of patrons dining. I was pleased with a swift and efficient delivery of our food each time we dined.

We ordered the Sampler which can be a meal for 2-3 quite easily. I was a good amount of food to enjoy a little bit of everything this local establishment cooks up. Other items we ordered consisted of the Spinach Summer Salad with the local catch and the Captain's Catch Cajun style. All the dishes were served with a plentiful amount of food. Leftovers to enjoy or perhaps dishes to split among friends and family while dining here. For the price, the quality and quantity of food is on par. Down the Hatch is an ideal location for lunch and dinner. I also saw that they offer breakfast. We did not try out the breakfast but the menu to no surprise looks excellent. Make sure to plan a stop here if you are...