Feast at Lele — Restaurant in Maui

Location: 5/5 Parking: 3.5/5 (get there early to grab a spot and don't drive like an idiot) Food: 4/5 (we're picky, see below) Service: 7/5 Show: 5/5 Atmosphere: 10/5

This was our second luau on the islands (first on Maui). We didn't book in time to get the luau we originally wanted, but we were very excited to get the Feast at Lele. We are very, very pleased with our experience at Feast at Lele. The location was convenient and gorgeous being right on a west-facing beach. It was an overcast day so we didn't get a great sunset, but I'm sure clear days are extra phenomenal.

The luau is located at the back of a shopping center, so parking is limited and packed. Use your brain, follow the signs, and make everyone's life better by not being an idiot when trying to park. Unless you get there early enough to grab a street spot, plan on $10-$15 in parking depending on where you're at. The parking garage has a very low clearance, so plan ahead if you're in a taller vehicle.

One of the major draws to Feast at Lele is that it's table service, not a buffet. We've done buffet luaus and enjoyed them greatly. Buffets are perfect for picky eaters or people who like certain things, but don't like others, or for people who like to take just a little and not waste. We were a pickier group of eaters for various reasons, so some of our food went untouched. They bring out three dishes per course. It was too much for us (4 people) to eat all of every dish in every course. Some dishes went untouched, others we cleaned the plate. You can ask for more of anything!

Table service is not only nice and relaxing, but the service here was top notch. We loved our the crew serving our table, they were extremely friendly and helpful. One thing about table service that we did not think about prior to arriving (and very different than a buffet service) is the tip. Buffet luaus are a similar price to Feast at Lele, but no tip is requested. Here, they request you tip off your total price (which would include the show, make your own opinion), adding a pretty steep premium to this luau's price. Budget accordingly, the servers earned a good tip.

The show was amazing. It's the same dancers who do an excellent performance of each island. We loved that they danced throughout the dinner, in between courses, leaving us plenty of time to enjoy eating and having conversation, but giving good breaks to digest. The dancers were incredible.

Overall, we loved it. The atmosphere was wonderful, though I did not feel like it would be a great luau for kids. Sitting on the beach eating good food and enjoying amazing entertainment while the sun sets behind you it unmatched. Book early to get a better seat (not only will you be closer to the stage, but it'll also be easier to find if you have to go to the bathroom during the show). Tables are pretty close together, but we never...

Amazing night of food and entertainment! It helped that our table was front and centre with the perfect, unobstructed view. Not sure how tables are selected per reservation, whether it’s because we reserved our booking MONTHS in advance when planning our trip, or if it was because we ended up being first in line at check in because we got to the restaurant earlier than expected. (I believe the former because the woman had our names on a paper and appeared to read off the assigned table from that paper). I’d say there was about 4 rows of tables behind us but couldn’t entirely tell. Sucked to think they paid the same as us when they likely didn’t have as great of a view. (However - not my problem!)

Food was overall quite good, lots of new (to us) foods and flavour combos - some very tasty, some just okay. Picky eaters likely won’t be a fan of the spread. 3 small plates of different items per course but LOTS of food for the two of us, plus the all inclusive drinks helped fill us up even more. One of us has a tree nut allergy which we noted upon reservation and they were very attentive to this, both calling ahead of time to confirm as well as the waiter noting it upon our arrival. We were there on American Thanksgiving and they had a couple additional items on the menu to reflect that, which was cute.

Our service was almost the best part of the night! Waiter was so fun and sassy (in a good way), rapping out the items per each course when he brought them. We definitely set the tone for him to know he can be silly around us, since we heard him speak to other couples/kids etc. in a totally different tone, personalized to them. Very attentive staff in my opinion. A different waiter came by to serve our drinks, asking between courses or when a drink was running low if we wanted another.

Entertainment was also 5 stars. The hostess of the evening gave a brief explanation of each place we were “travelling to” after we had been served that corresponding course; afterward a brief 5ish minute dance traditional to that culture was performed. The dancers, makeup and attire, and their enthusiasm on stage were excellent and really enhanced the experience. The fire dance at the end that was performed during dessert was also impressive (and longer than expected!)

Overall a great time and would definitely recommend it to anyone travelling to Maui. Based on outside reviews comparing this Luau to others on the island it’s one of the top ones, and it felt like it was. Being on the beach, seeing the sunset behind us, a fresh flower lei among everything else I’ve mentioned, it was highly worth it. Expensive of course ($500.00 CAD and gratuity not included - all tips are split among all the employees) but definitely a “once in a lifetime” evening. Total time ~3 hours. Escorted to our seats at 5:15pm, ended...

Feast at Lele is a luau with a meal served in 4 distinct courses. I will preface this by saying that the food was overall fairly good. It is definitely not corporate banquet grade food if you're worried about this. The portions are reasonable given that it's a multicourse menu. I wouldn't say that the food is Michelin star worthy persay but the flavours and quality of ingredients is good, the service is attentive and prompt and the show is quite engaging. Overall 4.5/5.

Hawaii - this course features kalua pork, a rice pilaf and lomi lomi salmon. The salmon is sous vide and comes as a whole piece of the filet rather than diced in most preparations. The rice and pork were alright but nothing outstanding persay.

New Zealand - this course features a fern shoot salad, baked sweet potatoes and braised short ribs. We found that this course was quite good. The fern salad has a variety of textures and is quite refreshing. The sweet potatoes are cooked to a very soft consistency. The short ribs are quite tender and likely have a good amount of marbling.

Tahiti - this course features baked shrimp, a ceviche-like preparation and chicken breast with a mango soy sauce. The baked shrimp are noteworthy, being quite large, tender and flavourful. The ceviche / cured fish is good but a bit small and overcooked a bit from the acid. The chicken is probably the closest to a catering style dish.

Samoa - this course features a seafood stew, braised corn beef and a baked taro bread roll. The seafood stew had a great flavour and consistency though the seafood was probably a frozen mix. The braised corn beef was cooked well and wasn't too salty. The taro roll was quite good with the creamy coconut milk. It's closer to a dessert item.

Dessert - we had a lilikoi custard tart, candied persimmons and some type of cake. Admittedly this was not on the official menu so I am not sure what each of the items are exactly. Overall, they were ok.

The show throughout the lu'au is themed according to the different regions. The performances take place a bit of time after each course arrives, which lets you enjoy both aspects as much as possible. The performances are diverse and you always feel engaged throughout.

It's best to book a table as early as you can as this affects how close you are to the stage. This often is not an issue but the fire dancer show happens in front of the stage so it may be more difficult to see it if you're have a table...