Maui has two preeminent restaurants at the top of everybody’s wish list for a fine dining, special occasion celebration: Merriman’s and Mama’s Fish House. Universally loved, they’re the two spots that are ubiquitously revered by locals, food critics, and your friends that came back from Maui as places that you must eat at. People have been known to make reservations first before booking their flights to Maui… that’s the level of enthusiasm.
Should I pick Merriman’s or Mama’s Fish House? First world problems, eh? Both are amazing, special experiences, so you can’t really go wrong. We’ll detail our full experience below and which one would suit you better.
So, do they live up to the hype? Absolutely.
Are they worth the price? In one word, yes. Both are $$$$ restaurants, and dinner for two, all-in with drinks, will run you $300-$400. But, for a memorable, festive trip on a trip to Maui, totally worth the splurge. In comparison, there are plenty of restaurants located at the fancy resorts in Kapalua and Wailea where you can easily spend the same, if not more, for a lackluster, overpriced food experience. You won’t be disappointed here.
Am I missing out if I don’t go? Ahh, FOMO. Everyone’s dying to go to these spots, but if spending that much for dinner isn’t for you, there’s plenty of fantastic, local food at a much friendlier wallet price (to be covered in upcoming posts!). But, if you can find a table and you’re on the fence… just go for it!
Ambiance
Both Merriman’s and Mama’s Fish House have gorgeous locations with sweeping, ocean vistas. Merriman’s is located in Kapalua, in the Northwest side of Maui, with stunning views of Molokai, Lanai, and Kapalua Bay. Mama’s is located in Pa’ia, close to Ho’okipa Beach and with Pacific views facing north.
Both restaurants have large dining rooms with ample seating, arranged in an open-air structure to let the clear, ocean breeze swish in with those ocean wave sightlines. Merriman’s follows a minimalistic approach to decor: a clean look with wood without much adornment, letting the environment do the talking. Meanwhile, Mama’s goes all-in on the Polynesian feel, with outriggers and canoes hanging from the ceiling, walls adorned with traditional Hawaiian dress and seafaring exploits, and decorative tiki statues placed throughout. Merriman’s wouldn’t feel out of place in Santa Monica, but Mama’s really transports you to the tropical island feel you have in your imagination.
If you can, grab an earlier dinner slot so you can watch sunset with dinner. This was an unexpected perk with our early time at Merriman’s, and it made the experience that much more magical with our west-facing views.
The Food
Merriman’s, at the time of our visit, only offered a prix fixe dinner menu for $125 per person. This included an amuse bouche, appetizer, entree, and dessert.
Mama’s menu is a la carte, but expect about $20-$30 per appetizer and $60-$70 per entree.
For our Merriman’s appetizers, we had the Hawaiian poke trio (with ono, ahi, ogo, avocado, Maui onions, and Molokai sweet potato chips) and the Kula salad (with kale, grape tomatoes, and kalua pork). The poke was fresh, perfectly seasoned with the soy-ginger dressing and accompaniments of kukui nuts and ogo, while the salad was rich and flavorful, with the smoky pork balancing the vegetable medley. Both dishes were wonderfully representative of the local, farm-to-table approach that Merriman’s proudly boasts, with its local catch and Upcountry vegetables. They went great with the house bread.
For our mains, we had the signature Macadamia-nut crusted mahi mahi served on a wild mushroom rice pilaf, and a classic Filet Mignon over mashed potatoes and asparagus. We were celebrating, so went for the lobster supplement as well. The mahi mahi and filet mignon were both perfectly executed, from the moist fish balanced with the macadamia crunch, to the tender beef on the pillowy-soft potatoes. The lobster addition to our surf and turf plates was decadent, with the seared lobster tail succulent and juicy. On the surface, the entree selection at Merriman’s isn’t unique compared to fine restaurants elsewhere, but their highlighted use of local ingredients and emphasis on balance really nailed each bite.
We were absolutely stuffed after the first two courses and multiple helpings of their bread, but their dessert plate put us over the top. That night, Merriman’s didn’t offer any dessert choices; everything was included: tiramisu, chocolate fruit pastry, and homemade truffle chocolates. The tiramisu was absolutely heavenly, with its chocolate flakes adding rich texture to the coffee and mascarpone layers, without being overpowering. The truffles were divine, melting in your mouth with quality that compares to the finest in Switzerland or Belgium. We definitely had to get a to-go box for these desserts, and boy, did they hold well over the next two days.
Kula salad 
Filet mignon 
Dessert smorgasbord 
Macadamia nut-crusted mahi mahi 
Lobster tail half addition
At Mama’s Fish House, we started with the wild caught ahi in a fresh coconut, with lime and coconut milk. This was Mama’s take on classic poke, and it didn’t disappoint. This was flavored on the tart side, with the fresh fish balanced with the tangy lime flavors with the light cream of coconut. Along with our appetizer, we were served fresh homemade soft bread, along with a seafood-flavored amuse bouche. Both fantastic, and we ate multiple portions of the bread throughout our dinner!
For our main dishes, we both went with entrees featuring local fish. The place is called Mama’s Fish House for a reason, and while they do also serve beef tenderloin, short ribs, and other non-fish dishes, I’d go with a fish entree unless you’re highly disinclined. We had the Mama’s Fish Curry and the Bouillabaisse; both servings were heaping portions that we struggled to finish, taking a healthy third home as leftovers.
Mama’s Fish Curry had a Southeast Asian flair, with the Mahi Mahi and Big Island Kanpachi covered in a Panang-style curry sauce, paired with jasmine rice, light wonton strips, snow peas, and a medley of vegetables. Each bite was really an explosion of deep, complex flavors: the creaminess and spice of the Panang curry, combined with the freshness of the mahi and kanpachi, with the rice and vegetables helping cut through the flavor. While the fish curry packed intense, contrasting tastes – it never felt heavy, which is a highlight to the fresh fish and balanced ingredients. Served on the side with the fish curry as accompaniments include Mama’s mango chutney, macadamia nuts, and sambal. While these additions offered different punches to the dish, we actually enjoyed the curry by itself.
The Bouillabaisse was a wealth of seafood offerings, simmered in Mama’s saffron fish broth. Mama’s did not skimp on the ingredients here; massive helpings of fish (ahi, mahi mahi, and kama), along with huge pieces of Kauai shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels, ensuring each bite offered unique bites of the bounty of the sea. This is where the additional soft bread was so fantastic; it served as a vessel to soak up the saffron broth and seafood perfectly. We’re big fans of seafood soup / stew entrees, so this was right up our alley, but note this entree required the most “work” of any of the entrees. To soak up all the seafood flavors, whole fish parts are included, shrimps are head-on, and all the shellfish had their shells.
For dessert, we got the Lilikoi Creme Brulee. Perfectly executed, with the tart, sharp passionfruit flavor infused in the classic custard and caramelized top. We passed on the Polynesian Black Pearl, which is Mama’s signature dessert – it’s a lilikoi chocolate mousse in a pastry seashell, which literally looks like a black pearl oyster. For next time!
Amuse bouche and soft bread 
Wild ahi in coconut 
Lilikoi creme brulee 
Mama’s Fish Curry with Mahi Mahi and Kanpachi 
Mama’s Bouillabaisse
The culinary experiences from starters to desserts at both places were absolutely fantastic. We’d give a slight nod to Mama’s Fish House, purely since they have a more adventurous approach (and wider selection) of unique dishes compared to Merriman’s, which has more traditional, classic preparations. While Mama’s also serves its fish in grilled, baked, and sauteed styles if you’d like, the flavors that we indulged in for the Fish Curry and Bouillabaisse, along with other techniques such as grilling on ti leaves, is where Mama’s shines.
Merriman’s Mai Tai 
Mama’s Mai Tai Roa Te
Drinks
Merriman’s cocktails are top-notch, each with a tropical twist to capture Maui’s charm. While each restaurant and bar serves a mai tai, Merriman’s signature Mai Tai is undoubtedly the best: their honey-lilikoi foam with the macadamia nut orgeat is unparalleled! We also enjoyed their No Ka Oi (vodka + Thai basil + honey-lilikoi puree), so maybe we’re really suckers for their unique use of lilikoi.
At Mama’s, we went with the Mai Tai Roa Ae (translated to out of this world – the very best!). Mama’s follows the original recipe from Trader Vic’s, in a traditional style with golden rum, with a touch of orgeat, curacao, lime, and simple syrup. Solid, but a notch below where we prefer the modern, inventive approach to the drinks.
Service
Maybe it was just our experience, but Merriman’s hands down wins on impeccable service. From the valet parking, to the front of house greeters, to the attentive wait staff, and fun live music playing, every interaction was taken with care and accommodating. Merriman’s accommodated us to select a beautiful table with expansive ocean views, perfect for sunset. After finishing our meal, we felt bad about holding the table and lingering, but the staff encouraged us to just relax, stay, and soak in the musical atmosphere. We ended up staying late into the night (I think we were there for 5 hours), and the staff was fantastic from beginning to a much longer end.
Our service experience at Mama’s was mixed. Perhaps it was a busy night, with many people calling and trying to score walk-ins, but our initial memories weren’t great. We arrived punctually for our reservation and had to wait outside for about 30 minutes, with the hostesses rudely shoo-ing us into a corner. They left us waiting and seated multiple parties with later arrivals and reservations than us. At Mama’s, the front staff made it seem like a privilege to eat there, where instead we should feel invited as customers.
The Final Verdict
For us, Merriman’s takes the cake for our favorite place for an end-to-end experience. From pulling into the restaurant, enjoying the vistas, and the attentive service to the spectacularly executed multi-course meal and heavenly drinks, everything rates a 10/10 for us. There’s not one part of our time there where we wish they did anything different, and that’s saying something.
However, Mama’s is a close runner-up. Besides the variety of food preparation we called out, what Mama’s also has is uniqueness – it’s the one and only restaurant. Merriman’s has outposts on each of the main islands (Oahu at Ala Moana, Kauai at Koloa, Big Island at Waimea), and has Monkeypod by Merriman’s restaurants, its casual offshoot.
You won’t go wrong at either place. Now, best of luck getting that coveted reservation!
Wandering Maui 