Maui/Kaanapali Dining

[csodjd]

I suspect that this is largely a Spring Break phenomena, but it may repeat as summer travel arrives so I offer this suggestion. If you’re going to Maui in the next few months and like visiting nice restaurants I’d recommend making your dinner reservations perhaps a month or more in advance. Not even the steak house in the Hyatt hotel in Kaanapali has a single reservation (for two) available the entire week much less more desirable places like Lahaina Grill, and I started checking over a week ago.

 

[slip]

I suspect that this is largely a Spring Break phenomena, but it may repeat as summer travel arrives so I offer this suggestion. If you’re going to Maui in the next few months and like visiting nice restaurants I’d recommend making your dinner reservations perhaps a month or more in advance. Not even the steak house in the Hyatt hotel in Kaanapali has a single reservation (for two) available the entire week much less more desirable places like Lahaina Grill, and I started checking over a week ago.

Yes, our sales force has been saying the same thing. Our sales force on Maui thinks this will sustain even without changes to travel to Hawaii. The other islands feel it is just spring break and the other islands aren’t near as busy. We will see if they are correct. I head to Maui on Monday and come back Wednesday.

 

[csodjd]

Yes, our sales force has been saying the same thing. Our sales force on Maui thinks this will sustain even without changes to travel to Hawaii. The other islands feel it is just spring break and the other islands aren’t near as busy. We will see if they are correct. I head to Maui on Monday and come back Wednesday.

You’ll be fine as long as you’re not planning on eating. It is impressively busy in Kaanapali. I cannot discern any difference from our last trip here two years ago. Add a few restaurant closures and reduced capacities and you have real challenges getting into popular spots.

 

[slip]

You’ll be fine as long as you’re not planning on eating. It is impressively busy in Kaanapali. I cannot discern any difference from our last trip here two years ago. Add a few restaurant closures and reduced capacities and you have real challenges getting into popular spots.

I’ll be in Kahului anyway and we’ll just do takeout at some local place there so it won’t bother me. But what you are saying sure supports what I am hearing from our sales force.

Like I have said before, over the last couple of weeks the only thing behind years past is the Asian market. That is still near zero travelers. Otherwise, we just have to wait and see if it a spring break blip. Either way it’s a good sign that the travelers will return when Hawaii eases its travel requirements.

 

[10spro]

I just tried to book a few reservations for first part of May. Mama's has nothing until early June, so they're 2+ months out, which is fine, there are so many other places. I even had a hard time booking Monkeypod HH at 4pm. It was just starting to get busy when we were there in December, but now I think more people are traveling, and sounds like it's really crowded now, back to pre-COVID times.

 

[critterchick]

We're going in May and I made most of our reservations last week. I found that many popular locations (Duke's, Monkeypod, Kimo's) don't take Open Table reservations between 5:45 and 7:45. We like to eat on the later side so are fine with the later times. And the island has been open for all, but restaurants have been limited to 30% capacity, so that's another factor leading to crowding.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Our kids found a lot of places not even taking reservations as walkups during spring break. I didn't even know it was a problem because we went during happy hour. They were going a bit later than that. they tried several different restaurants and then ate Panda Express, the grankids' favorite. It was an eye-opening experience for the kids. They are not used to it. At home, it's easy to get into restaurants. I guess there are just more of them. I imagine The Gazebo is crazy right now. Slappy Cakes closed.

 

[csodjd]

Our kids found a lot of places not even taking reservations as walkups during spring break. I didn't even know it was a problem because we went during happy hour. They were going a bit later than that. they tried several different restaurants and then ate Panda Express, the grankids' favorite. It was an eye-opening experience for the kids. They are not used to it. At home, it's easy to get into restaurants. I guess there are just more of them. I imagine The Gazebo is crazy right now. Slappy Cakes closed.

We got to Lahaina Grill about 15 min before they opened at 5:00pm and waited at the door. When they opened she said they had one table for two available as long as we were done by 6:30 because it was reserved at that time. Even their bar seats were booked. One other couple got there just after us but got turned away. So we were just lucky.

Dinner last night at the Plantation House. Only reservation available (10 days ahead) was 5:00. I made that reservation. We got there on time. All tables for two by the windows were in use and about half the tables overall were full when we arrived. By the time we left (6:00) every table was full.

Heck, there aren’t even any starting times for a single available all day today on the Plantation golf course. Fully booked.

 

[controller1]

We're going in May and I made most of our reservations last week. I found that many popular locations (Duke's, Monkeypod, Kimo's) don't take Open Table reservations between 5:45 and 7:45. We like to eat on the later side so are fine with the later times. And the island has been open for all, but restaurants have been limited to 30% capacity, so that's another factor leading to crowding.

Duke's must have just started that as I made a reservation last month for a date in September during that time frame.

But Kimo's definitely still has availability during those times during May/June/July. Perhaps they were fully booked for those times on the dates you tried.

 

[critterchick]

Duke's must have just started that as I made a reservation last month for a date in September during that time frame.

But Kimo's definitely still has availability during those times during May/June/July. Perhaps they were fully booked for those times on the dates you tried.

Maybe so. This was about two weeks ago for May.

 

[Theiggy]

Dukes in Maui has reservations online for August through open table. I got a 7pm reservation.


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[bobpark56]

We are in Ka'anapali now. I have been able to make restaurant reservations, though OpenTable says little is available (they did book 2 for use, but now they are of no help.)