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A Guide to the Best Cheap Eats & Happy Hours in Maui, Hawaii

October 22, 2019 / 1,625 Comments

Traveling with a large family can be quite expensive when you eat out. Our family always tries to sample the best foods in the areas we travel – but on the cheap. This means we visit food trucks, hole-in-the-wall establishments, – and of course, happy hours – when we eat out during our travels. Maui, Hawaii was no different. With so many amazing and affordable options on the island, the only way to get to them all is with a little research from Dining Maui and some food-centric planning. On our recent 10-day Maui, Hawaii vacation we sampled the best of the best in cheap eats and happy hours – here is a list to help you on your foodie adventure next time your in Maui!

All the meals below were shared between 2 adults and 3 children unless indicated. All locations are family-friendly. We always drank water except when ordering alcoholic beverages. Each description will indicates whether we had breakfast, lunch or dinner, and whether or not we ate during happy hour for that meal. Totals do not include tax or tip.

Foodland (Snacks / Poke)

Foodland is on the list as an awesome grocery mart that has lots of local foods – including the BEST fresh Poke on the island to-go. It seems you can get Poke pretty much at every restaurant on the island, but when you are craving some to-go and want fresh and flavor, go to Foodland, trust me. We went several times (they will let you sample any of the flavors before you buy) and for a few bucks we had some amazing Poke to bring back to the condo. Poke is between $10-12 per pound here.

Kihei Caffe (Breakfast)

This little cafe is located right in the heart of Kihei, and can be quiet busy in the mornings. Go early (we went at 7am and just beat the rush) but no matter what time you arrive, just know that everything will be amazing, freshly made, Hawaii style and served with Aloha. We shared the Loco Moco (substitute in the Kalua Pork), Pancakes with Pineapple and Coconut topping and the French Toast with Bananas and Mac Nuts. We couldn’t even finish – The pancakes and french toast were so huge you could easily share one order with multiple people. Total cost for 3 meals – around $35.

Coconuts Fish Cafe (Lunch)

Coconuts Fish Cafe has amazing fish tacos with 17 ingredients including 2 types of fish. And they are HUGE, each taco is more like 2 tacos. These tacos were some of the best we had on the trip! The coconut shrimp were also tasty! We ordered two orders of the tacos and a coconut shrimp to share. Total cost for 2 meals and 1 appetizer – around $40.

Paia Fish Market (Lunch)

There are a few locations for Paia Fish Market, and no matter which one you visit, you’ll find delicious fish-centric options at a good price. We ordered a Fish Burger and Fish & Chips with 3 extra fish and shared it between us. We all agreed that the fish & chips was fantastic!! The extra fish sticks were just $2 each, so when going with a large family if you just want the extra fish without ordering the extra chips – go for this option. Total cost for 2 meals at lunch including double the fish – around $35.

Da Kitchen Cafe (Lunch)

Best hole-in-the-wall serving Hawaiian fare in Maui, hands down. You can dine at the cafe or the express – we ate at the cafe. It is famous for being featured on Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives for its Notorious B.I.G. Loco Moco – so we knew we had to eat here. We got there just before they opened and a line was already forming. This is the spot everyone around there goes and it’s for a good reason – the portions are huge, and the Hawaiian flavors are amazing. We shared the B.I.G. Loco Moco, Teriyaki Chicken, and deep fried Spam Musubi (definitely try it – it tastes like a deep fried sushi roll). We could barely finish, but this was one of our favorite meals on the island. Total cost for 2 meals and an appetizer – around $45 (and we had leftovers).

Down the Hatch (Lunch / Happy Hour)

One of our favorite happy hours of the trip was at Down the Hatch, located right in the heart of Lahaina. Happy hour start at 2pm so it is perfect for a late lunch. We ordered 4 appetizers and shared it between the 5 of us. We shared the Kona Beach Quesadilla with Kalua Pork, Mermaid Fries, Coconut Shrimp and Lava Lava shrimp (this was a favorite for us all)! It is located in the center of a big outdoor shopping mall. You order at the counter and then seat yourself at a table. There was also live music and it was shaded from the sun. Total cost for 4 appetizers and 2 drinks was around $45.

Maui Brewing Company (Dinner / Happy Hour)

Local breweries are always a must-do for us, so we checkout out Maui Brewing Company for dinner. We tasted a few beers and ended up ordering the Double Overhead IPA, it was perfectly smooth and nice and hoppy. We shared 2 pizzas between the 5 of us – the Brewmaster and the Farmer. Both had great flavor! The place is nice and big and is family-friendly. At happy hour pizzas are only $10 and select apps are 1/2 off! Total cost for 2 beers and 2 pizzas – around $30.

Three’s Bar and Grill (Dinner / Happy Hour)

Happy Hour at Three’s Bar & Grill is a great affordable dinner option – located in downtown Kihei. Make reservations ahead of time. We were able to enjoy happy hour prices with the kids and with a reservation. The kids shared Kalua Pork Nachos, while Dad and I ate Sushi (unagi avocado roll and salmon avocado roll), Oysters, 2 Coconut Crusted Fish Tacos and Coconut Crusted Shrimp – all very good. We tried the HH Southside Mai Ties which were tasty but by far the weakest Mai Tai we had in Maui – however a bargain at $3.75. Total for everything including 4 drinks – around $60.

Lava Rock Bar & Grill (Dinner / Happy Hour)

We enjoyed a sunset happy hour at Lava Rock Bar & Grill for dinner one evening – also located in downtown Kihei. The outdoor seating has a beautiful view of the beach at sunset. Appetizers are 50% off at happy hour and drinks are only $5! Try the lobster spinach dip, tempura shrimp and coconut shrimp. This was our favorite evening happy hour for ambiance, the drinks were strong and tasty and the view was beautiful. It is family-friendly, but for this meal we dinned without the kids. Total for 3 appetizers and 4 drinks – around $40.

Monkeypod Kitchen (Dinner / Happy Hour)

Monkeypod Kitchen is famous for their Monkeypod Mai Tai ($10 at HH) – famous for its lilikoi foam topping. I do agree, it was my favorite drink of the trip and was strong (albeit the most expensive drinks we enjoyed during the trip, even with HH pricing – regular price is $15). We shared a Kalua Pork & Pineapple Pizza (only $10 at HH) with our drinks. The pizza and drinks were very satisfying! Make reservations. We actually came earlier in the week and left because of the long wait. You can make reservations even for happy hour, and the happy hour is family-friendly. This meal we dinned without the kids. We sat on the patio which is quieter than inside. Total for 4 drinks and a pizza – around $50.

South Maui Fish Co. (Food Truck)

If you want delicious, amazing and super fresh Poke and fish tacos – check out South Maui Fish Co. This food truck is located in Kihei. Everything was amazing, and the Poke bowl had great flavor and was super fresh. I loved the slaw that came with it, there was pineapple in it! We also tried Lava mac (the special of the day) and it was incredible. Great way to grab a meal to-go or enjoy it on their patio. Total for 2 meals and a side – around $40.

Da Fish Shack (Food Truck)

This food truck is your best bet in Hana – after a long road to Hana adventure, whats better than fresh fish burgers and tacos? We shared an order of tacos and a burger and loved every bite. They were also served super fast. Total for 2 meals – around $30.

Looking for more Maui, Hawaii travel guides? Check out these posts!

10-Day Maui Itinerary with Kids in Maui, Hawaii

A Guide to the Best Sweet Foods & Desserts in Maui, Hawaii

A Guide to the Cheap Eats & Happy Hours in Maui, Hawaii

The Top Family-Friendly Stops on the Road to Hana – Maui, Hawaii

9 Locally-Loved Businesses to Support on Your Next Maui Vacation

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