5 Local Spots Tourists Never Find
Maui's tourist-facing restaurants get all the attention, but the places locals actually eat at are a different story entirely. Unassuming, great local food, usually cash-friendly and better than half the spots with an ocean view. This will definitively be a multi part post, as there are just too many good ones! So here are five that are worth seeking out if you want to eat like you actually live here.
1. Pukalani Country Club House (Pukalani)
Literally just up the street from my house, this cute open-air restaurant at the Pukalani Golf Course is one of my personal go-tos. Yes, it might be a retro fitted trailer turned into a eatery, but that’s part of the charm. Breakfast and lunch daily (the burger is bomb!) dinner featuring homemade pasta and other nightly specials Wednesday through Saturday, local favorites at reasonable prices, and the views over the valley that most tourist restaurants would charge triple for. It’s upcountry through and through.
If I could pick one local favorite on Maui, this might be it! Tasty Crust is an American diner on Maui, HI, that opened during WWII and it’s still serving the same diner classics as it was on day one. From breakfast to plate lunches with perfectly seasoned sides that have kept regulars coming back for decades. One word: Pancakes! This is true diner comfort food, Maui style.
Wanna go back in time? To an era on Maui that almost feels forgotten … except here. Jack’s Inn is a family-owned breakfast and brunch spot on Alamaha Street that's been feeding Kahului , and Maui, since forever. No joke, get the loco moco and a POG juice and you'll understand why locals keep coming back. Open mornings only, Monday through Saturday, so don't sleep on it.
Part catering, part international grocery store, part takeout counter — TJ's is where you go for what's widely considered one of the best bento box spots on Maui. Plus, when you step inside you feel like you’re in Asia! The shelves are stocked with Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Chinese, Thai, and local Hawaii products. It also might have one of the best price Poke Bowls on island. A one-stop shop for local pantry staples and a great hot meal.
One of the oldest and longest running family-owned restauants on Maui. Opened by the Sato family in 1933, Sam Sato's is a Wailuku institution known for its dry mein noodles and classic plate lunches. It's the kind of place where the lunch rush tells you everything you need to know. Don’t believe me? Just try and go get an order in at lunch time. My guess, it’s a 45 min wait minimum … but worth it!
Know a spot that deserves to be on this list? Hit reply — I'm always adding to it.
