# Make your dinner reservations now!



## artringwald (Jul 19, 2021)

We'll be in Maui and Kauai in August, and dinner reservations are tough to get. Mama's Fish House is booked full for the next 5 months. Duke's Kauai is booked solid for dinner, but we did manage to get a lunch reservation. Fortunately, I booked Merriman's Kauai awhile ago since we wanted to go there for our 50th +1 anniversary.


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## Breezy52 (Jul 19, 2021)

Yikes! First I have to pay chokeable prices for a car now i have to plan dinner in advance, this is getting hard to swallow, so to speak


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## DaveNV (Jul 19, 2021)

That's a tough one to chew on.  (See what I did there?  )

Great news for the restaurants, but tough for tourists.  Unless they're still booking with social-distancing limitations?

Dave


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## dougp26364 (Jul 20, 2021)

Breezy52 said:


> Yikes! First I have to pay chokeable prices for a car now i have to plan dinner in advance, this is getting hard to swallow, so to speak



Just another reason we’ve put a trip to Hawaii on the back burner indefinitely. Rental car issues, changing travel restrictions, crowds from pent up demand and Hawaiians wanting tourism restricted to avoid over crowding are all issues we feel makes it a risky travel investment, at least until things settle back into a more normal rhythm. 

Mama’s and a few of the luaus were always a difficult reservation. I tried to book Mama’s Fish House three months out once and the best I could do was a very early dinner or very late lunch. Duke’s on the other hand, was always a walk up for us, but I can’t say we ever hit them up at a traditional dinner time 

For us, it’s one of the most expensive trips we’ll take. Airfare, rental car, expensive meals, expensive reservations from a points required view. It needs to be closer to rock solid vs shifting sands.


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## artringwald (Jul 20, 2021)

dougp26364 said:


> Just another reason we’ve put a trip to Hawaii on the back burner indefinitely. Rental car issues, changing travel restrictions, crowds from pent up demand and Hawaiians wanting tourism restricted to avoid over crowding are all issues we feel makes it a risky travel investment, at least until things settle back into a more normal rhythm.
> 
> Mama’s and a few of the luaus were always a difficult reservation. I tried to book Mama’s Fish House three months out once and the best I could do was a very early dinner or very late lunch. Duke’s on the other hand, was always a walk up for us, but I can’t say we ever hit them up at a traditional dinner time
> 
> For us, it’s one of the most expensive trips we’ll take. Airfare, rental car, expensive meals, expensive reservations from a points required view. It needs to be closer to rock solid vs shifting sands.


I agree with you, but we like Hawaii too much. We postponed the trip twice, first from February to April, then from April to August. So far, the only money we've lost by changing reservations is a small payment for upgrading the view category of our timeshare reservation. We booked rental cars early so we were able to get reasonable rates. We were able to book sunset sails on Maui and Kauai by booking early. Hawaii just ended COVID testing for anyone with proof of vaccination. We'll have to see how much things have changed once we get there.


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## bnoble (Jul 20, 2021)

We managed to grab a lunch at Mama's for a few weeks from now, and are happy about it. We have a couple other "big" meals reserved for the three week trip, but we are also often food truck/carryout-to-a-nearby-picnic-table people when we are in Hawaii. The lines will be longer, but we'll still eat.


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## NTP66 (Jul 20, 2021)

Star Noodle was the only reservation that we really cared about getting on our most recent trip (over July 4th week), though we did get a few others. Our favorite meals were still from smaller places and takeout, though, as is usually the case.


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## chellej (Jul 20, 2021)

Does Mama's have a lunch menu?


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## bnoble (Jul 20, 2021)

I vaguely recall that it's largely the same menu with a few of the higher-end things missing, but this is also a Sunday, so they might have a brunch menu. Either way, it will be good.


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## Luanne (Jul 20, 2021)

chellej said:


> Does Mama's have a lunch menu?


They don't show a lunch menu online, just a dinner one.  A restaurant we like in our area has gone to only serving their dinner menu, which makes lunch very expensive.


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## b2bailey (Jul 20, 2021)

Luanne said:


> They don't show a lunch menu online, just a dinner one.  A restaurant we like in our area has gone to only serving their dinner menu, which makes lunch very expensive.


It was 5+ years ago that we did lunch at Mama's. It went on record as our most expensive lunch, ever, anywhere. (Prior to that, our top of list was a high end Birthday lunch in NYC.  )

Just go knowing there are no bargains at Mama's.
And yes, it was worth it.


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## rickandcindy23 (Jul 20, 2021)

We are still going in February-March.  We can ask our friends to pick us up from the airport.  We won't be going out for meals much.  I did reserve a car for $2,300 for about six weeks.  That is a bargain compared to what I am currently seeing, but I am likely going to cancel it.


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## CalGalTraveler (Jul 20, 2021)

There were people at the pool at the WKORV at dusk and I overheard them complaining about having to make dinner reservations months in advance. So they decided to stay in the pool and drink instead...good to have a timeshare with a kitchen.

Had reservations for sunset dinner at Dukes which we made 3 months prior. Also ate at the upcountry restaurant below. Made a reservation for lunch a few days prior. Best meal on the island (and that's a tall order considering we ate at Dukes!) The fish lemongrass curry was excellent.

*Hali‘imaile General Store*
900 Hāli‘imaile Rd., Hāli‘imaile, 572-2666. Chef Bev Gannon dishes up fresh fish, local meats, and regional produce drenched in complex sauces. The towering sashimi appetizer is legendary, as is Bev’s crab dip. Hawai‘i Regional. L, D. $$$$

Maui was crowded. Big Island not so bad. Our SUV rental cars on both islands were about $450/week - not bad for July 4 week.


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## Luanne (Jul 20, 2021)

We love Hali'imaile General Store.  We go for lunch at least once during our annual stay.  My daughter's favorite is their ribs.  We also like Gannon's in Wailea for both lunch and dinner.


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## CalGalTraveler (Jul 20, 2021)

Good to know there is an option in Wailea. Is the food the same?  

Also, if you go upcountry for lunch there is a glass blowing shop across the road where you can watch the artisans blowing glass.


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## Luanne (Jul 20, 2021)

CalGalTraveler said:


> Good to know there is an option in Wailea. Is the food the same?
> 
> Also, if you go upcountry for lunch there is a glass blowing shop across the road where you can watch the artisans blowing glass.


No, Gannon's has a different menu.  You can check them both out online.  Gannon's sits on a golf course and has a gorgeous view.









						Hali’imaile General Store – Makawao, Maui Restaurant
					

Hali’imaile General Store is a Makawao restaurant in Upcountry Maui, serving modern dishes with locally sourced Hawaiian food near Haleakalā National Park.




					hgsmaui.com
				









						Home New - Gannon's
					






					gannonsrestaurant.com


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## artringwald (Jul 20, 2021)

chellej said:


> Does Mama's have a lunch menu?


They do book reservations for lunch, but I don't kn


Luanne said:


> We also like Gannon's in Wailea for both lunch and dinner.


We're booked there for dinner next month. I've been meaning to try it for a long time. We enjoyed our dinner at the General Store several years ago.


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## Luanne (Jul 20, 2021)

artringwald said:


> They do book reservations for lunch, but I don't kn
> 
> We're booked there for dinner next month. I've been meaning to try it for a long time. We enjoyed our dinner at the General Store several years ago.


We have celebrated several anniversaries at Gannon's.  We always get a table near the edge so we can enjoy the view.  They also have, or used to have, a great Happy Hour, but you couldn't make reservations for that and it could get quite busy.


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## NTP66 (Jul 20, 2021)

Luanne said:


> We have celebrated several anniversaries at Gannon's.  We always get a table near the edge so we can enjoy the view.  They also have, or used to have, a great Happy Hour, but you couldn't make reservations for that and it could get quite busy.


Is the food that good? The menu looks pretty limited.


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## Luanne (Jul 20, 2021)

NTP66 said:


> Is the food that good? The menu looks pretty limited.


Yes, the food is that good and the atmosphere and view are wonderful.  Free parking, unlike Mama's.  I didn't look at the menu, but I imagine it has been scaled back from what they used to serve.  It looks like they just reopened in late May of this year so it might take them a while to ramp back up.

I just looked at their menu.  Limited?  6 appetizers, 3 salads, and 8 different entrees.  How much more variety are you looking for?


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## NTP66 (Jul 20, 2021)

Luanne said:


> Yes, the food is that good and the atmosphere and view are wonderful.  Free parking, unlike Mama's.  I didn't look at the menu, but I imagine it has been scaled back from what they used to serve.  It looks like they just reopened in late May of this year so it might take them a while to ramp back up.


Good to know, thanks.  My wife and I were married on Po'olenalena Beach right in front of them, so perhaps this would be a good idea for our next trip.


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## Luanne (Jul 20, 2021)

NTP66 said:


> Good to know, thanks.  My wife and I were married on Po'olenalena Beach right in front of them, so perhaps this would be a good idea for our next trip.


I updated my post after you must have posted this.  Just to repeat:  I just looked at their menu.  Limited?  6 appetizers, 3 salads, and 8 different entrees.  How much more variety are you looking for?


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## NTP66 (Jul 20, 2021)

Meant the entrees, really (salads don't count for anything, anywhere in my book). Three fish entrees, and five land entrees that are mostly red meat. My wife would have a hard time picking something as she generally doesn't like red meat, and prefers pork or chicken. Just my opinion.


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## Luanne (Jul 20, 2021)

NTP66 said:


> Meant the entrees, really (salads don't count for anything, anywhere in my book). Three fish entrees, and five land entrees that are mostly red meat. My wife would have a hard time picking something as she generally doesn't like red meat, and prefers pork or chicken. Just my opinion.


There is a pork entree, but it's ribs so if you don't care for ribs it might be considered a limited menu.  I usually go with the fish any time I can when we're on Maui.


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## Tamaradarann (Jul 20, 2021)

NTP66 said:


> Meant the entrees, really (salads don't count for anything, anywhere in my book). Three fish entrees, and five land entrees that are mostly red meat. My wife would have a hard time picking something as she generally doesn't like red meat, and prefers pork or chicken. Just my opinion.



What is wrong with a nice piece of fish?


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## NTP66 (Jul 20, 2021)

I’d go for the blackened Ahi, but my wife and daughter wouldn’t. To each his own.


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## Luanne (Jul 20, 2021)

NTP66 said:


> I’d go for the blackened Ahi, but my wife and daughter wouldn’t. To each his own.


Do they like burgers?  That's red meat, but still.


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## Tamaradarann (Jul 20, 2021)

NTP66 said:


> I’d go for the blackened Ahi, but my wife and daughter wouldn’t. To each his own.



The blackened Ahi looks good, but crusted catch would be my choice if you don't want fish that is not cooked.  What about the Shrimp which is seafood not fish.


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

NTP66 said:


> I’d go for the blackened Ahi, but my wife and daughter wouldn’t. To each his own.


I'm just curious.  I don't remember if you said you had been to Mama's or if you plan to go, but if so, what do your wife and daughter order there?


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## NTP66 (Jul 21, 2021)

Luanne said:


> I'm just curious.  I don't remember if you said you had been to Mama's or if you plan to go, but if so, what do your wife and daughter order there?


Never been to Mama's before, but if we did go, there's a 99% chance that we'd all be ordering the prawns.


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## artringwald (Jul 21, 2021)

If you go to Mama's Fish House, save room for the Polynesian Black Pearl dessert.


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

artringwald said:


> If you go to Mama's Fish House, save room for the Polynesian Black Pearl dessert.


Well heck, if they don't really like fish, or beef, just go for the desserts.


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## jackball (Jul 21, 2021)

We were recently in Maui and heard that many places had tables available if you walked in at 8:30.  So may be worth a try if you don't mind a later dinner.  We did not try this ourselves, so cannot vouch for accuracy.


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## SHG (Jul 21, 2021)

So I have read most of these post. It piqued my curiosity since I will be going to Maui in Oct. I looked at the Menu and was surprised to find that Mama's would cost ~$100 per person.  Is this a fair estimate? Is that what you guys are all excited to be paying???  This restaurant is booked solid with these kind of prices?? Am I naïve to what restaurant prices are in Maui?


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## bnoble (Jul 21, 2021)

Mama's is a "destination" restaurant. Maui isn't cheap, but this may not be representative of prices.


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

SHG said:


> So I have read most of these post. It piqued my curiosity since I will be going to Maui in Oct. I looked at the Menu and was surprised to find that Mama's would cost ~$100 per person.  Is this a fair estimate? Is that what you guys are all excited to be paying???  This restaurant is booked solid with these kind of prices?? Am I naïve to what restaurant prices are in Maui?



That sounds about right.  That is one reason we have stopped going to Mama's.  The other reason is that it's on the other side of the island from where we stay, and as we've gotten older we don't like making a drive after dark.

Mama's is probably the most expensive restaurant on Maui.  If there are others that cost more, I'm just not aware of them.


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

jackball said:


> We were recently in Maui and heard that many places had tables available if you walked in at 8:30.  So may be worth a try if you don't mind a later dinner.  We did not try this ourselves, so cannot vouch for accuracy.


That's almost past my bedtime when we're on Maui.  There are nights when I'm in bed by 9:00 p.m., but we get up really early. For some reason my internal clock doesn't seem to reset when we're there.


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## JIMinNC (Jul 21, 2021)

SHG said:


> So I have read most of these post. It piqued my curiosity since I will be going to Maui in Oct. I looked at the Menu and was surprised to find that Mama's would cost ~$100 per person.  Is this a fair estimate? Is that what you guys are all excited to be paying???  This restaurant is booked solid with these kind of prices?? Am I naïve to what restaurant prices are in Maui?



I looked back at my credit card statements from February 2020 when we were in Maui last, and Mama's was not out of line with many of our other favorite dinner spots on Maui. Our wine choice can have a big bearing on the total cost, so these may not be fair comparisons of the relative food cost if we drank a less expensive bottle at one place or the other. I don't have a breakdown of the bill in detail. These are for a party of two:

Merriman's Kapalua - $348
Lahaina Grill - $307
Mama's Fish House - $265
Fleetwood's on Front - $220
Monkeypod at Whalers Village - $200
Kimo's - $150
Leilani's - $130

We'll be back in Hawaii this coming October, and as the OP says, we are already making dinner reservations. On Kauai, we already have The Beach House, Keokis Paradise, Duke's, Roy's Eating House 1849, and Capt Andy's Star Sunset Dinner Cruise reserved, and waiting on Merriman's Kauai to open up on OpenTable, I think 60 days out. On Maui, we've got Lahaina Grill, Kimo's, and Duke's booked and waiting on Merriman's Kapalua, Fleetwood's, and perhaps Roy's Kaanapali reservation windows to open. Also eagerly awaiting the opening of the new Longhi's at our Marriott's Maui Ocean Club. We sadly may not have room on the schedule for Hula Grill and Leilani's on this trip. We were hoping to eat lunch at Mama's before catching our late PM flight home, but they appear to be booked up until late October/early November. I've already got my calendar flagged to reserve dinner at Mama's prior to our late evening flight home for our next Maui trip in February 2022.

We have so many favorite Maui dining spots, looks like we'll need to go for two weeks in 2023 to hit them all.


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## SHG (Jul 21, 2021)

JIMinNC said:


> Merriman's Kapalua - $348
> Lahaina Grill - $307
> Mama's Fish House - $265
> Fleetwood's on Front - $220
> ...



JIMinNC, I am VERY impressed!!! You spend my whole week food budget in one night! The whole point of timesharing is to take advantage of having a kitchen. Of course, we all want to eat out some, but you take it to a whole new level. I am in Maui in Oct as well, maybe we can meet for dinner and just add mine to your bill???? 

By the way, I have been fortunate enough to go to Merriman's Kapalua. We only went for happy hour to see the sunset. Patio seating at sunset there is a reason alone to go to Maui, AMAZING.


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

SHG said:


> JIMinNC, I am VERY impressed!!! You spend my whole week food budget in one night! *The whole point of timesharing is to take advantage of having a kitchen.* Of course, we all want to eat out some, but you take it to a whole new level. I am in Maui in Oct as well, maybe we can meet for dinner and just add mine to your bill????
> 
> By the way, I have been fortunate enough to go to Merriman's Kapalua. We only went for happy hour to see the sunset. Patio seating at sunset there is a reason alone to go to Maui, AMAZING.


Says who?  The whole point of timesharing for us is to visit places without having to pay the price of a hotel (and get more room).  We generally eat breakfast in, and then lunch or dinner out.  And yes, this is on Maui.  So we are eating out at least once each day, sometimes twice.


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## SHG (Jul 21, 2021)

Luanne said:


> Says who?  The whole point of timesharing for us is to visit places without having to pay the price of a hotel (and get more room).  We generally eat breakfast in, and then lunch or dinner out.  And yes, this is on Maui.  So we are eating out at least once each day, sometimes twice.


So this brings up a interesting question that would make for a good poll. - How often do timeshare people eat out in a week ? For us, it would be ~5-6 times. 2-3 times for lunch and 2-3 times for dinner. Other than that, we prepare meals in the kitchen or on the grill. We then spend the time and money on activities and sightseeing. And never $100 per person on any meal!


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## BJRSanDiego (Jul 21, 2021)

Luanne said:


> That sounds about right.  That is one reason we have stopped going to Mama's.  The other reason is that it's on the other side of the island from where we stay, and as we've gotten older we don't like making a drive after dark.
> 
> Mama's is probably the most expensive restaurant on Maui.  If there are others that cost more, I'm just not aware of them.


I've eaten both lunch and dinner at Mama's.  They do a great job on their food presentation, but their prices are substantial.  

But for me the killer is the hour drive that it takes to get from the Kahana area to Paia, and driving the return trip in the dark.  If I want a nice dinner, I'd rather choose a place less than 15 minutes away.

Both times we had an interior table with no view and the service was so-so.  Plus we had another major issue that I won't go in to on this forum.  So from a "value proposition", IMnsHO, it isn't worth the drive time or the $$$$.


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## SHG (Jul 21, 2021)

BJRSanDiego said:


> I've eaten both lunch and dinner at Mama's.  They do a great job on their food presentation, but their prices are substantial.
> 
> But for me the killer is the hour drive that it takes to get from the Kahana area to Paia, and driving the return trip in the dark.  If I want a nice dinner, I'd rather choose a place less than 15 minutes away.
> 
> Both times we had an interior table with no view and the service was so-so.  Plus we had another major issue that I won't go in to on this forum.  So from a "value proposition", IMnsHO, it isn't worth the drive time or the $$$$.


For you, it would seem that Merrimac Kapalua would be a more ideal location. Have you ever been there?


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

SHG said:


> For you, it would seem that Merrimac Kapalua would be a more ideal location. Have you ever been there?


Another good Merriman's restaurant is the Monkey Pod.  There is one in Kihei/Wailea and one in Kaanapali.  Good food at a lesser price than Merriman's.


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

SHG said:


> So this brings up a interesting question that would make for a good poll. - How often do timeshare people eat out in a week ? For us, it would be ~5-6 times. 2-3 times for lunch and 2-3 times for dinner. Other than that, we prepare meals in the kitchen or on the grill. We then spend the time and money on activities and sightseeing. And never $100 per person on any meal!


In a week in a timeshare on Maui we eat out 7 to 12 times.  We mostly eat breakfast in, but we do go out for breakfast a few times, mostly after our early morning whale watches.  Then we eat out at least once the rest of the time.  We've been to Maui many times so there are not a lot of activities we spend money on.....and never spend money on sightseeing.  We do at least one or two whale watches per trip, but those are reasonable at about $25 per person. We get discounts since I belong to the Pacific Whale Foundation and we usually get one free whale watch tour when I renew membership each year.

We figure it's a vacation, so no one wants to do a lot of cooking, or cleaning up in the kitchen.


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## artringwald (Jul 21, 2021)

When we stay at Wailea Ekahi Village, as we are next month, I go out every morning and pickup up a newspaper and an incredible cinnamon bun from The Cinnamon Roll Place in Kihei. By the time I get back, the coffee is ready, and I enjoy breakfast on the lanai.






I'm drooling already.


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

artringwald said:


> When we stay at Wailea Ekahi Village, as we are next month, I go out every morning and pickup up a newspaper and an incredible cinnamon bun from The Cinnamon Roll Place in Kihei. By the time I get back, the coffee is ready, and I enjoy breakfast on the lanai.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


We walk by that cinnamon roll place every morning.  We walk from our timeshare (Maui Hill) to the little coffee place that is in the same shopping center.  We've been going to them for years.  We usually manage to get a couple of free coffees by getting our card punched each time we go.  The smell from those cinnamon buns is amazing.


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## BJRSanDiego (Jul 21, 2021)

SHG said:


> For you, it would seem that Merrimac Kapalua would be a more ideal location. Have you ever been there?


I think that you mean Merriman's.
No, I haven't been there but it is on my "to do list".  
There are also a bunch of nice restaurants in Lahaina and Kaanapali that offer tremendous views, have great food and cost a bit less than Mama's.


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## Luanne (Jul 21, 2021)

BJRSanDiego said:


> I think that you mean Merriman's.
> No, I haven't been there but it is on my "to do list".
> There are also a bunch of nice restaurants in Lahaina and Kaanapali that offer tremendous views, have great food and cost a bit less than Mama's.


We love Kimo's in Lahaina.


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## JIMinNC (Jul 21, 2021)

SHG said:


> JIMinNC, I am VERY impressed!!! You spend my whole week food budget in one night! The whole point of timesharing is to take advantage of having a kitchen. Of course, we all want to eat out some, but you take it to a whole new level. I am in Maui in Oct as well, maybe we can meet for dinner and just add mine to your bill????
> 
> By the way, I have been fortunate enough to go to Merriman's Kapalua. We only went for happy hour to see the sunset. Patio seating at sunset there is a reason alone to go to Maui, AMAZING.





SHG said:


> So this brings up a interesting question that would make for a good poll. - How often do timeshare people eat out in a week ? For us, it would be ~5-6 times. 2-3 times for lunch and 2-3 times for dinner. Other than that, we prepare meals in the kitchen or on the grill. We then spend the time and money on activities and sightseeing. And never $100 per person on any meal!



We seem to be in the same camp as @Luanne  in that we eat out for dinner almost every night wherever we travel. Eating at great restaurants and trying new wines is one of the reasons we travel in the first place, so why cook? We will generally only use the kitchen for breakfast and snacks and only rarely do we eat much lunch. We watch our calories and save them for dinner! Also, why should my wife have to cook? It's her vacation too.

Even at home, we tend to eat out more often than a lot of people do, and being able to regularly eat at the great local restaurants in Hilton Head is one of the main things that drew us to that island and led it to become the location of our vacation home. The thing we missed most last year with the pandemic was restaurants being closed or limited to outdoors only.


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## zentraveler (Jul 22, 2021)

BJRSanDiego said:


> I've eaten both lunch and dinner at Mama's.  They do a great job on their food presentation, but their prices are substantial.
> 
> But for me the killer is the hour drive that it takes to get from the Kahana area to Paia, and driving the return trip in the dark.  If I want a nice dinner, I'd rather choose a place less than 15 minutes away.
> 
> Both times we had an interior table with no view and the service was so-so.  Plus we had another major issue that I won't go in to on this forum.  So from a "value proposition", IMnsHO, it isn't worth the drive time or the $$$$.



We ate there once while staying in Paia and up country and I have to say we were underwhelmed. I live in San Francisco and used to high prices, which we knew going in, but there was nothing that either us felt was worth the price, trouble to get a reservation etc. Felt busy and very touristy. Maybe an off day, but I am still a bit mystified. Been reading on this forum for a long time and we are clearly in the minority so YMMV. But I agree with BJRSanDiego ( whose name I mangled in the first iteration).


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## Tamaradarann (Jul 22, 2021)

JIMinNC said:


> We seem to be in the same camp as @Luanne  in that we eat out for dinner almost every night wherever we travel. Eating at great restaurants and trying new wines is one of the reasons we travel in the first place, so why cook? We will generally only use the kitchen for breakfast and snacks and only rarely do we eat much lunch. We watch our calories and save them for dinner! Also, why should my wife have to cook? It's her vacation too.
> 
> Even at home, we tend to eat out more often than a lot of people do, and being able to regularly eat at the great local restaurants in Hilton Head is one of the main things that drew us to that island and led it to become the location of our vacation home. The thing we missed most last year with the pandemic was restaurants being closed or limited to outdoors only.



I totally agree with you "Why should my wife have to cook", therefore, I don't.  But to save money and calories on our retired persons budget, for our very long vacations, we eat almost all of our breakfasts and lunches in the Timeshare.  My husband makes cut up vegtables, salads, and drinks everyday before dinner even when we eat out which also saves money.  He either cooks dinner or occasionally we will eat.  We usually eat out if we are meeting friends or family or if we are going to a show or other event where dinner is either served or it is more convienient to eat out.


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## Henry M. (Jul 22, 2021)

zentraveler said:


> We ate there once while staying in Paia and up country and I have to say we were underwhelmed.


Same here. I like the location, but the food I've had has not been all that impressive and has not been worth the price. It would not be my favorite restaurant even at half the cost.


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## SHG (Jul 22, 2021)

artringwald said:


> When we stay at Wailea Ekahi Village, as we are next month, I go out every morning and pickup up a newspaper and an incredible cinnamon bun from The Cinnamon Roll Place in Kihei. By the time I get back, the coffee is ready, and I enjoy breakfast on the lanai.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OK, the cinnamon bun looks awesome, but a printed newspaper??? They still have those?? Old school! (and I love it!)


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## Luanne (Jul 22, 2021)

SHG said:


> OK, the cinnamon bun looks awesome, but a printed newspaper??? They still have those?? Old school! (and I love it!)


I will also pick up the little tourist magazines, or whatever you want to call them, that are out in front of the little market.  We use the two for one coupons for breakfast at Fred's (also in the same center) when we have breakfast out there.

P.S. My husband is the one who does the cooking and he enjoys a break when we are on vacation.  I enjoy the break from the clean up.


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## skimble (Jul 22, 2021)

Are they still doing Covid contact tracing at the restaurants?  Before we were allowed to be seated, we had to give the restaurants our contact information. This was in June.


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## artringwald (Jul 22, 2021)

SHG said:


> OK, the cinnamon bun looks awesome, but a printed newspaper??? They still have those?? Old school! (and I love it!)


In Hawaii, I often read three newspapers, the eEdition of the Minneapolis paper, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and the Maui or Kauai paper. I certainly don't read every article, but it's so much easier to skip over articles when reading hard copy.


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## slip (Jul 22, 2021)

skimble said:


> Are they still doing Covid contact tracing at the restaurants?  Before we were allowed to be seated, we had to give the restaurants our contact information. This was in June.



Yes, if you are dining in you still have to give contact information.


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## zentraveler (Jul 22, 2021)

slip said:


> Yes, if you are dining in you still have to give contact information.



And every time you go if you are a repeat customer.


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## klpca (Jul 22, 2021)

BJRSanDiego said:


> I've eaten both lunch and dinner at Mama's.  They do a great job on their food presentation, but their prices are substantial.
> 
> But for me the killer is the hour drive that it takes to get from the Kahana area to Paia, and driving the return trip in the dark.  If I want a nice dinner, I'd rather choose a place less than 15 minutes away.
> 
> Both times we had an interior table with no view and the service was so-so.  Plus we had another major issue that I won't go in to on this forum.  So from a "value proposition", IMnsHO, it isn't worth the drive time or the $$$$.


I agree with you. Between the drive and the prices it has just never been our thing. I love great food and I love a great view but Mama's hasn't delivered on those when we have eaten there. We also have had interior tables even when requesting an outside. We will make it just a bit easier for those of you who enjoy it.


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## CalGalTraveler (Jul 22, 2021)

I like Mama's. Great fish but fish is easy in Hawaii including buying from Costco and grilling at your TS. I found the General Store in the upcountry interesting because they made a lemongrass curry with the fish. Dukes has a great fish preparation too. Something I cannot make easily at home.

When it is just two of us we eat most dinners out. When I have the family we go out to fine dining once a week, do some takeout and the rest bbq and cook because restaurants with a group are a hassle and expensive.


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## NTP66 (Jul 22, 2021)

1. We like Kimo's, but for our previous two visits, we wound up in the upstairs corner table right where the sun hits every part of your body because their shade is broken. Will probably skip next year for that reason alone, because we know we'd be getting that same table

2. Re: using a kitchen with a timeshare - couldn't disagree more. For us, we don't visit Maui to cook our own meals. It's vacation time

I'm glad that Jim posted what he spends, because it makes me feel better about how much we spend dining out.


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## Luanne (Jul 22, 2021)

klpca said:


> I agree with you. Between the drive and the prices it has just never been our thing. I love great food and I love a great view but Mama's hasn't delivered on those when we have eaten there. We also have had interior tables even when requesting an outside. We will make it just a bit easier for those of you who enjoy it.


I was just saying to dh that I really enjoyed the times we went to Mama's, back when you could park your own car, the prices were more reasonable, and we could pretty much get a table with a great view every time we went.  So, I'll just look back on those great memories (especially when my then 2 year old daughter, who is now 33, had a huge banana split put in front of her.  Her reaction was priceless.)


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## Luanne (Jul 22, 2021)

NTP66 said:


> 1. We like Kimo's, but for our previous two visits, we wound up in the upstairs corner table right where the sun hits every part of your body because their shade is broken. Will probably skip next year for that reason alone, because we know we'd be getting that same table
> 
> 2. Re: using a kitchen with a timeshare - couldn't disagree more. For us, we don't visit Maui to cook our own meals. It's vacation time
> 
> I'm glad that Jim posted what he spends, because it makes me feel better about how much we spend dining out.


We haven't been to Kimo's for dinner for awhile.  Again, it's the driving back at night that is the biggest deterrent.  So we'll go for lunch (which is served downstairs) or later in the afternoon.  The last few times we've gone we've gotten MaiTais and split Hula Pie.  Don't knock it until you've tried it.


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## SHG (Jul 22, 2021)

It seems that many of you have been going to Maui for years (some of us may be envious). Several enjoy dining out and have been to Mama's and other notable restaurants. Most of your restaurant dining seems to be at more expensive locations (by my standard). So a challenge: What are some of your favorite places that are NOT so high end? Say $30/pp or less. This may be a bit more difficult for you big spenders...*smile*


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## Vagabonder (Jul 22, 2021)

SHG said:


> It seems that many of you have been going to Maui for years (some of us may be envious). Several enjoy dining out and have been to Mama's and other notable restaurants. Most of your restaurant dining seems to be at more expensive locations (by my standard). So a challenge: What are some of your favorite places that are NOT so high end? Say $30/pp or less. This may be a bit more difficult for you big spenders...*smile*


Costco? Fleetwoods wasnt too bad-


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## SHG (Jul 22, 2021)

Vagabonder said:


> Costco? Fleetwoods wasnt too bad-


LOL! OK, I guess Costco technically qualifies...  And I am sure everyone eats there at one time or another, even though we don't really go there to eat...


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## Luanne (Jul 22, 2021)

SHG said:


> It seems that many of you have been going to Maui for years (some of us may be envious). Several enjoy dining out and have been to Mama's and other notable restaurants. Most of your restaurant dining seems to be at more expensive locations (by my standard). So a challenge: What are some of your favorite places that are NOT so high end? Say $30/pp or less. This may be a bit more difficult for you big spenders...*smile*


Okay, here are some of our favorites that won't break the bank (most are in Kihei since that is where our timeshare is):

Coconuts, we go to the one in Kihei that is in the same center as the cinnamon bun place
Fabiani's 
Cafe O Lei
Sensei
Monkey Pod (it can be expensive, but you can do dinner for under $30 a person if you choose the right items)

There are also a lot of places that have, or used to have, Happy Hour or early dining menus.  You can save a bit that way.


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## klpca (Jul 22, 2021)

Luanne said:


> I was just saying to dh that I really enjoyed the times we went to Mama's, back when you could park your own car, the prices were more reasonable, and we could pretty much get a table with a great view every time we went.  So, I'll just look back on those great memories (especially when my then 2 year old daughter, who is now 33, had a huge banana split put in front of her.  Her reaction was priceless.)


I remember having a fabulous brunch at a large hotel that at the time (1986) was the last resort at the time in Wailea (the Intercontinental maybe?). It was about $50 at the time and we were good until dinner, lol. Those were the days!


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## Luanne (Jul 22, 2021)

klpca said:


> I remember having a fabulous brunch at a large hotel that at the time (1986) was the last resort at the time in Wailea (the Intercontinental maybe?). It was about $50 at the time and we were good until dinner, lol. Those were the days!


Could be.  That Intercontinental is now the Marriott.


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## klpca (Jul 22, 2021)

Luanne said:


> Could be.  That Intercontinental is now the Marriott.


It felt pretty bougie at the time but it was really the best deal in town.


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## bnoble (Jul 22, 2021)

SHG said:


> It seems that many of you have been going to Maui for years (some of us may be envious). Several enjoy dining out and have been to Mama's and other notable restaurants. Most of your restaurant dining seems to be at more expensive locations (by my standard). So a challenge: What are some of your favorite places that are NOT so high end? Say $30/pp or less. This may be a bit more difficult for you big spenders...*smile*


We haven't been to Maui yet, but on Kauai we've had *great* luck with food trucks.


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## Luanne (Jul 22, 2021)

klpca said:


> It felt pretty bougie at the time but it was really the best deal in town.


We used to love to go there for drinks.  They had a really nice bar.  That was before it became the Marriott I think.


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## Vagabonder (Jul 22, 2021)

I noticed after making an open table reservation that the confirmation seemed to have the incorrect time, but then I realized that my computer had changed it to my time zone.  If I saved it and added to my calendar it come up with the correct time. FYI-


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## daventrina (Jul 23, 2021)

There usually aren't long lines at L&L or Maui tacos or Oceans or Big Island Grill .. but don't tell anyone


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## slip (Jul 23, 2021)

We also love Coconuts on both Kauai and Maui. We Kai talked about going there today for when we go to Maui in a couple weeks.


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## jtp1947 (Jul 23, 2021)

Aloha Mixed Plate has a great view and reasonably priced.  As a plus, if you go in the evening you can enjoy the music from the Old Lahaina Luau next door.


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## Luanne (Jul 23, 2021)

slip said:


> We also love Coconuts on both Kauai and Maui. We Kai talked about going there today for when we go to Maui in a couple weeks.


Our older daughter told us there is now a Coconuts in California near where she lives.


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## slip (Jul 23, 2021)

Luanne said:


> Our older daughter told us there is now a Coconuts in California near where she lives.



Yes, I had heard that. I’m not surprised the food has always been excellent.


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## Henry M. (Jul 23, 2021)

jtp1947 said:


> Aloha Mixed Plate has a great view and reasonably priced.  As a plus, if you go in the evening you can enjoy the music from the Old Lahaina Luau next door.



I don't know if Aloha Mixed Plate closed or moved, but the location next to the Old Lāhaina Luau is now Star Noodle. I prefer Star Noodle food.


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## 1Kflyerguy (Jul 23, 2021)

Henry M. said:


> I don't know if Aloha Mixed Plate closed or moved, but the location next to the Old Lāhaina Luau is now Star Noodle. I prefer Star Noodle food.



Sadly Aloha Mixed Plate closed due to the pandemic,  they had the same ownership as Star Noodle.  They decided it made more sense to give the larger space to Star Noodle.  We always enjoyed Mixed Plate, but understand the need to make adjustments to the business model.


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## chellej (Jul 24, 2021)

dh loves to eat out when on vacation and can eat 3 meals out.  I can't eat that much food and I travel a lot for work so it doesn't hold the same appeal to me.

When DD & I travel to Hawaii we generally eat breakfast in, eat lunch out and then have a light dinner in the room....Costco has had some great large salads the last few times that make several meals for us.  Great a loaf of good bread and we are good.

Often the lunch menus have smaller portions and smaller prices....it doesn't sound like that is the case with mama's.  Also, like to catch the happy hour specials ...Lava Lava & Merrimans are 2 that come to mind.


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## Chrispee (Jul 24, 2021)

When we look to conserve money in Hawaii we will often make a big brunch in our timeshare, go for a late lunch happy hour, and make a light late dinner back in our timeshare.  Our favourite happy hour on Maui is at the Monkeypod.  If you're looking for a reasonable dinner Star Noodle is pretty great IMO.


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## Luanne (Jul 24, 2021)

Chrispee said:


> When we look to conserve money in Hawaii we will often make a big brunch in our timeshare, go for a late lunch happy hour, and make a light late dinner back in our timeshare.  Our favourite happy hour on Maui is at the Monkeypod.  If you're looking for a reasonable dinner Star Noodle is pretty great IMO.


Even Gannon's, which is pricey for dinner, has a very reasonable Happy Hour.  Only problem is you can't reserve and it can get busy.


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## artringwald (Jul 25, 2021)

I'm not sure how I did it, but I'm on a waitlist for Mama's Fish House. Yesterday I got notified that a reservation became available. I was away from my cellphone and by the time I looked, someone else got the reservation. Today I got another notification from OpenTable and as soon as I heard it I grabbed my cellphone, but again it was already taken. It made me think of the hedge funds that pay big bucks to get there servers in very close proximity to the stock exchange, so they can save microseconds. Maybe once we get to Hawaii I'll be able catch them earlier and get it before someone else snatches it.

For those that say Mama's is overpriced, I'd say it's not just about the food. I don't even remember how the food was last time we were there (although I do remember the dessert). What we remember was the ambiance, and we're always willing to pay extra for that. The majority of our favorite restaurants have a great view of the ocean.


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## Luanne (Jul 25, 2021)

artringwald said:


> I'm not sure how I did it, but I'm on a waitlist for Mama's Fish House. Yesterday I got notified that a reservation became available. I was away from my cellphone and by the time I looked, someone else got the reservation. Today I got another notification from OpenTable and as soon as I heard it I grabbed my cellphone, but again it was already taken. It made me think of the hedge funds that pay big bucks to get there servers in very close proximity to the stock exchange, so they can save microseconds. Maybe once we get to Hawaii I'll be able catch them earlier and get it before someone else snatches it.
> 
> For those that say Mama's is overpriced, I'd say it's not just about the food. I don't even remember how the food was last time we were there (although I do remember the dessert). What we remember was the ambiance, and we're always willing to pay extra for that. The majority of our favorite restaurants have a great view of the ocean.


I agree Mama's is not just about the food.  If you get a great table, and great service it can be worth it.  As I've said in past posts we've gone quite a few times over the years. So now we're content with remembering those good times and going to places that are closer, and less expensive.


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## lynne (Jul 27, 2021)

Reservations and no-show diners









						With more people dining out, restaurants are reporting a new problem: No-shows
					

Some restaurants have stopped taking reservations entirely, while some now require non-refundable deposits.




					www.hawaiinewsnow.com


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## bnoble (Jul 27, 2021)

...that sounds like an opportunity for walk-ups, or at least a last-minute call to check. Good to know!


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## BJRSanDiego (Jul 27, 2021)

I checked on-line for Lahaina Grill (OpenTable) and couldn't find any open timeslots for the week that we'll be there.  So, I called and "voila !" they had open timeslots (that didn't show for me) and they booked it for me.

So, my advice is that if you can't see any open timeslots to call the restaurant directly.


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## BJRSanDiego (Aug 14, 2021)

Recently Gov. Ige said that restaurant occupancy would drop from 75% to 50%.  I have a bunch of OpenTable reservations about 45 days out and am wondering if any of them will be cancelled.


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## JIMinNC (Aug 14, 2021)

BJRSanDiego said:


> Recently Gov. Ige said that restaurant occupancy would drop from 75% to 50%.  I have a bunch of OpenTable reservations about 45 days out and am wondering if any of them will be cancelled.


I think I read somewhere that a lot of restaurants never were able to go to 75% because the rules still required at least 6 feet between tables, and that was the most limiting restriction, not the capacity limit. If that is true, the impact might be less than the % change alone might indicate.

I am in the same boat as you with five nights of reservations already made for Kauai in October and four reservations made for the second week in Maui also. Just waiting on some that only book 30 days out to grab three more on Maui.


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## bnoble (Aug 14, 2021)

I’ve been able to snag some cancellations including last night at Duke’s Kauai obtained in the same day. If you are willing to check OpenTable periodically, that can be a way to backfill.


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## BJRSanDiego (Aug 14, 2021)

JIMinNC said:


> I think I read somewhere that a lot of restaurants never were able to go to 75% because the rules still required at least 6 feet between tables, and that was the most limiting restriction, not the capacity limit. If that is true, the impact might be less than the % change alone might indicate.
> 
> I am in the same boat as you with five nights of reservations already made for Kauai in October and four reservations made for the second week in Maui also. Just waiting on some that only book 30 days out to grab three more on Maui.


@JIMinNC , you may want to call the restaurants on the phone.  In a number of cases, I saw on OpenTable that in some cases the calendar only went out 30 or 40 days.  I found that when I called on the telephone, that they were able to book me beyond that time window.


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## JIMinNC (Aug 14, 2021)

BJRSanDiego said:


> @JIMinNC , you may want to call the restaurants on the phone.  In a number of cases, I saw on OpenTable that in some cases the calendar only went out 30 or 40 days.  I found that when I called on the telephone, that they were able to book me beyond that time window.


Good idea. I think at least one of the places we are waiting on has the same reservation window for phone and online, but maybe not all of them. I’ll look into it. Thanks.


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