Leilani's on the Beach — Restaurant in Maui

The Beach Bar was our jam!!! So my partner and I came here in late May - twice. We were staying at the Hyatt Regency nearby so it was easy to walk there from our hotel.

The first time we went was the very day we got into Hawaii and we were sooo tired and thirsty. We walked along the walkway to the restaurant and took quick glances at the menu and loved what choices we saw. We loved the look and vibe of the Beach Bar, and since we just got into town and hadn’t made reservations this was a perfect option for us.

It was a cool spot right by the water where we watched the sunset and had fantastic food. As I mentioned we were soo tired and thirsty and honestly the tropical alcoholic drinks looked so fun but we opted for water- this time. The server was so kind and chill we felt right at ease in Maui already.

We ordered the beachside nachos with kalua pork and the farro and strawberries salad. Both so different and we devoured both!!! We split them so we could try each others. These were killer nachos. So much so that’s what brought us back a second time before leaving Maui. :) All the yummy toppings nachos should have right? We are talking pico, guac, sour cream, cheese and on the bottom there was a delicious and creamy refried black bean base. It was a huge serving of nachos too plenty for us to share and then some. We were very hungry and ate probably too many. Ha ha

The farro and strawberries salad was so different and fresh! Made with many locally sourced ingredients, like the surfing goat cheese - which was sooo creamy and paired so well with the greens, Kula strawberries and pecans. The toasted farro was something I’d never had on a salad and was pleasantly surprised. I’m a huge salad lover and always up for a different kind of salad mixing it up with some different ingredients and this didn’t disappoint.

We came back later in our trip again for the nachos and this time we shared the Maui Cobb Farmers Salad with grilled chicken, eggs, avacado, bacon, surfing goat cheese - again with locally sourced ingredients. My partner was a huge fan of this one, and I know cobbs are popular. This was a step above just so fresh!!!

We also opted for a tropical libation and they hit the spot! My partner ordered a Mai tai that not only was a beautiful color but it had a fun tiki glass to drink it out of ( no we couldn’t keep the glass). It was really delicious amd she woukd have gotten another but it was huge - aaaand we were planning on indulging in hula pie! I got the Hawaiian Punch served up in a hurricane glass and it was perfectly sweet and fruity. Fit the vibe and fun energy of the place!

On to this hula pie- this was insane. Never seen any pie so tall! Like ice cream pie that got hit by a Mac truck - macadamia nut truck that is - and rolled into Oreos. The crust was Oreo then ice cream with Mac nuts , chocolate fudge (that was also on the plate for you to scoop up yum!) and whipped cream. Heavenly and sinful but it’s vacation so that’s what ya do !! Lol I have a lactose intolerance so I couldn’t really enjoy the ice cream but I was enjoying the crust and chocolate. Ha ha

This place really was fun with fast service and great food and drink. What’s better they had great views and when you’re done you can walk around Whalers village that’s right there. Something on the menu...

It is interesting reading through the reviews and a lot of them are five star ratings. We are there twice and had similar experiences. I really don't think this is a five star restaurant with a lot of missing components. Some of which include the "pets" aka birds that intruding. Not really the restaurants fault, but when the waiters and bus boys leave the food on the table to long you are inviting unwelcomed guests aka the "pets". I'll start with the good though. They are right on the beach so almost any seat is a good seat. The appetizers are great especially the nachos. We added the pulled pork to it to make it even better. The pulled pork was tender and very flavorful. We enjoyed it with the crunch of the chips, salsa and the avocado. On different nights we got the fish and chips and the fish tacos. The tacos were definitely better. The fish was over cooked on the fish and chips plate and the fries lack luster. But it did seem like they were using the same fish for the fish and chips and the tacos😅. The waiters seemed to be beginners and we had two different waiters each day. Both were slow to serve the food and just appeared to be inattentive. Both times we had to request our water to be refilled especially on a hot day at the beach. I mean we sat so close to the beach that the surf was spraying our food 🌊😂. "That's a little... Salty" bonus points if you can guess the movie🤣. Anyways there are two places to eat at. If you want something more casual eat on the floor closer to the beach. If you want the "steak" restaurant you will want to head upstairs. There are shady spots to sit under but they don't cover well in the late afternoon. I got roasted like a lobster 🦞. Hmmm ... Maybe my wife should have ordered lobster instead 🤔. Anyways that's were the water would have nice. So mind when you are going to eat and where you are going to be seated. I do believe they will vouch for parking but double check with them first. Most other restaurants did while we were on the beach. So three stars for mediocre food (mind you the nachos saved their rating), poor service, but all least a great view as long as you don't mind becoming the...

While visiting Maui, we were staying with a friend nearby and learned of T S Restaurants group’s Leilani’s on the Beach. He has been in the area over 40 years is so pleased with the restaurant’s renovation and talked of how it was named after one of the owners’ daughters, and this impressed us as being “family-centered.” Being some who loves fresh fish, during each of our three visits (in one week!), I ordered a different fish dish. Each one lived up to its reputation for serving all-natural cuts of meat prepared island style. Each time we had exceptional service, the days were sunny and warm for dining on the ocean’s edge, and the food gave us a genuine sense of aloha.

The small bites are so good, I prefer them to a main course. My favorites are the Hawaiian Big Eye HAWAIIAN BIG Sashimi (the wasabi is unusually hot; the pickled ginger is the best I had on the island) served with shredded cabbage. My second recommendation is the Dig Me Beach Ceviche. The fish has a great flavor mixed in with fresh squeezed lime, avocado, and fresh cilantro.

You definitely have to try the MAI TAI Signature cocktail made with aloha fresh Hawaiian juices – we tried both types of rum, both are excellent. The GINGER HOKU with mango purée, fresh lime juice, fresh mint is excellent. I must admit, I’d not recommend Pele's Margarita Ele's Blanco tequila when there are so many other better options.

After each lunch, we ordered the Hula Pie. I’ve never seen anything on the continent of the US quite like it. It is a huge wedge of ice cream (macadamia nut, strawberry, or mint) with a graham cracker chocolate crust. It is topped off with an exceptional chocolate fudge sauce, whipped cream and more crushed macadamia nuts. This dessert is what pulled us back to dine the second and third time!

The hours are very accommodating: The Beach Bar is open daily 10:30am-9:30PM and 4:30-9:00pm for Dining Room seating. Parking is limited. I recommend walking from your hotel or the nearby Hanakaoʻo Park area and enjoying the beach walk till you reach the restaurant.

Kid friendly....