- Maui Jon
- First Reviewer
- 4 out of 5
- Avg. Member Rating
- 9
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13
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Location, Location, Location
- December 30, 2008
- Rated 4 of 5 by
two cruisers from Ames, Iowa
Perfectly located on the "Dig Me Beach" section of Ka’anapali Beach Leilani’s Beachside Grille combines casual barefoot atmosphere with good food and great people watching. We haven’t made a trip to Maui without having at least one meal at this restaurant. Leilani’s has an upstairs dining room for evening meals, but the casual lower level is the one that draws us back. We usually combine it with a shopping trip to the adjacent Whalers Village. If your timing is right in the late afternoon, live music is available and it is usually pretty good. And if you are really lucky you can have your meal and watch one of Ka’anapali’s fantastic sunsets. Of course there will be a stream of people walking down the sea walk between you and the view, but that’s ok too. On my last review of Leilani’s I may have mentioned the impossibly uncomfortable chairs. Others must have complained, because on this trip the chairs were much more comfortable allowing us to sit upright while we ate our meal.
I had the Chicken Quesadilla and Bill had the Fish and Chips. We were happy with our selections. I can also vouch for the Cashew Chicken and the spectacular Hula pie that we have enjoyed on previous visits. The servers do a credible job, especially when confronted with customers who rearrange the furniture making it difficult to deliver orders.
Our two meals plus tip were only $26.00.
From journal Maui Grinds
Best Meal in Hawaii
- March 11, 2008
- Rated 5 of 5 by
willieb5 from boardman, Ohio
Eat at many restaurants in Maui and on Oahu. Leilani's was top, best view and meal price was fair and service outstanding. if we ever return to Maui we we eat all our dinners there. Beth and Bill
Boardman,Ohio
Editor Pick
Leilani's on the Beach
Leilani's On The Beach can be found across the way from its sister property, The Hula Grill, in the Whaler's Village. It features a dining room, as well as a bar where one can order from the dining room menu, as well as the bar menu.
On the night when we visited Leilani’s, it was pouring and a crowd massed in the restaurant’s lobby. Without reservations, the wait began at 45 minutes. My vocalizing stomach sounded its protests. We trotted back outside and around to the back of the restaurant where the bar looked out over the ocean. There, the non-existent wait appeased my now cranky tummy.
At the bar, we found we could order anything the restaurant offered, be it from the dining room or the bar. We had to compare the Crispy Calamari Strips appetizer to the Coconut Calamari that we had at The Hula Grill. We discovered the same, tender morsels as the Hula Grill’s version, but without the coconut. If you shy away from coconut, this is the dish you’ll want to try. As for me, I’m a coconut fiend so I prefer Hula Grill’s calamari.
As for our entrées, my husband demonstrated his ordering prowess. His Ono Tacos evoke emotional responses from him even today. The special sauce that lines each taco enhances the mild flavor of the fish. Topped with shredded cheese, I could barely get a bite in as my husband inhaled his meal. What I did manage to taste caused me to regret my own choice for dinner.
In Hawaii, I have found that between the plate lunches and fish, there is not much room for vegetables. So I opted for the Kaanapali Cobb Salad. While it was good and assisted me in achieving my Five Servings A Day of fruits and vegetables, I found myself enviously eyeing my husband and his rapidly disappearing tacos. In retrospect, I will honor my mother’s wise words and never order anything that I might be able to readily get at home because I might miss out on a unique opportunity.
Thankfully, our dessert fit the description of a unique opportunity. The Hula Pie is so renowned that Leilani’s serves the concoction on plates that boast the Hula Pie logo. The pie starts with a chocolate cookie crust, filled with macadamia nut ice cream, layered with whipped cream, and topped with chopped macadamia nuts and hot fudge. Once you get over the guilt, indulge. After all, you’re on vacation!
Pricewise, here’s what we paid: Calamari $8.50, Cobb Salad $11.00, Fish Tacos $10.00, Hula Pie $6.50.
Overall, we preferred The Hula Grill’s food to Leilani’s and found that the noisy bar atmosphere at Leilani’s detracted from what we enjoy about dining out. But despite that, our meal filled us to the brim and as we left, I could swear I heard my stomach purring.
From journal Things To Do On A Rainy Day in Maui (Besides Praying for Sunshine)
Leilani's on the Beach
- August 1, 2006
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Kate C from Minneapolis, Minnesota
The best fish tacos ever!!! They were only $10, which a fantastic deal on Maui. We had fish tacos for lunch at the Hula Grill a few days later, and they were very good, but Leilanis were the best!
This restaurant is in Kaanaapali’s “Whaler’s Village”, which is a fun place with lots of shops and restaurants. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table, but it was easy to kill a little time walking around.
Leilani’s atmosphere is casual and very fun. We ate outside, which has a different menu (affordable) than the dining room inside (pricier). I’d assume the dining room was more upscale (reservations recommended, no shorts, etc.), but I'm not positive. We were not interested in dining inside at all. While we were in Hawaii, we wanted to spend as much time outside as possible, including during meals!
From journal Honeymoon on Maui
Lelanis
- November 7, 2005
- Rated 4 of 5 by
quiltergal from Jacksonville, Oregon
Lelani's at Whaler's Village is beachfront. Sunsets can be stunning from there. I think I may have found the best fish tacos on the planet here. For around $10 you get two tacos both with a slab of ono on a bed of cabbage and their secret sauce. They were so good, we had to go back our last night on Maui and have them again. It can be a bit noisy, as the bistro is right by the bar. The waitstaff is very friendly and helpful, and the food came quickly.
From journal Marvelous Maui